Out of the Ashes
by Polkadottedgiraffe11
Summary: She had been the light which had guided them, the point at which they had focused their lives upon, & the center of their entire worlds. Then, she was gone. Centuries later, memories were all that remained of a love they once cherished. That was until a ghost of a woman they all had loved returned to Mystic Falls. Original Brothers/OC
1. Prologue

No One's POV

"So, how's life in a small town as a teacher treating you, big brother?" Eliza's voice asks over the phone, tone a bit teasing. "Better yet, how's life in _Mystic Falls_ treating you? Missing me yet?"

"I'm always missing you, Eliza. And, it's _fine_. For your information." Alaric snorts lightly over the phone, stressing the word fine, which would indicate the opposite to Eliza, while shifting his cell to his other shoulder as he cooks dinner for himself in his two bedroom apartment.

"Right… _Fine_. Like I really _believe_ that. With the shitstorm that is the town you live in? Come on, what am I? Ten?" Eliza snarks, Alaric practically seeing the eye roll from over the phone.

"Language." Alaric jokes.

"Haha." Eliza laughs. "Seriously, as the resident Hunter in Mystic Falls, which draws more drama than the Scooby gang or Dean and Sam _Winchester_ , what is it this time?"

"Eliza…" Alaric says, voice actually becoming firmer. "You know I don't want you involved in this."

"I'm _already_ involved in this."

"Okay, more involved in this than you already are." Alaric corrects, thinking back to the reasons he began hunting in the first place; despite the story he had crafted upon coming to Mystic Falls it wasn't because of his wife Isobel, or at least, it wasn't _solely_ because of her. It was because of his sister Eliza and their parents, who had been murdered when Eliza had been in middle school and he had been barely out of college.

"I _miss_ you, 'Laric." Eliza says softly, voice now wobbling a little. "It's not the same here. I want you to come _home_."

"I miss you too 'Liza." Alaric replies, slightly softly.

" _Then come back_. You don't have to help them. What do you owe them? I mean, really?" Eliza says, now pouting a little, ever the little sister she was by eleven years.

"You _know_ why, 'Liza." Alaric replies, now sounding conflicted.

"Then I'm coming to you." Eliza says, voice determined.

" _No_." That was said definite and resolute. " **Absolutely not.** "

"Too late, big brother." Eliza chimes in a bit too cheerfully.

" _Eliza_ …" Alaric warns, tone dropping. "You didn't."

"Guess who's visiting you in Mystic Falls!?"

" **No** , Eliza."

" _Yes_ , Eliza!" Eliza only chatters back overly happy. "See you soon, big brother!"


	2. Ghosts (Part One)

No One's POV

"Oh _come on_ , 'Laric!" Eliza whines a little, voice pestering her older brother, following Alaric into The Grill, a slight bounce in her step.

"No, I'm still annoyed at you, 'Liza. Let me be annoyed at you." Alaric sighs, feigning annoyance and anger.

"No you're not!" Eliza grins, her blonde hair swinging around her face as she nudges him in the shoulder, making him stumble a little. "Admit it, you're happy to see me! This was a surprise. And you love me, because I'm the _bestest_ , most _wonderful_ , little sister in the world!"

"No, you're annoying, and sometimes I wonder why I put up with you." Alaric deadpans, rolling his eyes and snorting, shoving his sister back lightly.

To that response, Eliza only grins more, mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Oh, come on. Let's just pick up food and go." Alaric says, grabbing his sister around the shoulders and tucking her into his side.

"Okay." Eliza nods, cuddling into his side immediately, comforted by his familiar steady presence.

"Hey Matt." Alaric smiles to Matt who is at the cashier.

"Mr. Saltzman." Matt smiles, glancing at Eliza, confusion clear in his expression; Jenna after all had a thing with Alaric for a while.

"Call me Alaric, Matt. We're not in school. And this is my little sister." Alaric explains, leaving out several key pieces and the explanation brief.

"My name is Eliza! Nice to meet you Matt." Eliza chirps in, offering her hand, to which earns her a small jab in the side, Eliza glaring back at her brother.

"Matthew, everyone calls me Matt though. Alaric is my history teacher." Matt offers back, taking Eliza's hand.

"Is our order ready, Matt? Sorry to rush you. But we're kind of in a rush." Alaric butts in, steering the conversation away.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. It is." Matt nods, quickly pushing the take out bag forward. "That'll be $42.36."

"Thanks, Matt. See you around." Alaric nods, grabbing the bag after paying and gently steering his sister out of the dining room area.

"What was that?" Eliza glares at her brother, the previous interaction not going unnoticed.

"What?" Alaric plays innocent.

"You know what." Eliza deadpans.

"I'm doing my job. Protecting you."

"I'm not a child anymore." Eliza says softly.

"No, maybe not. But you're my sister. And you're still in need of protection either way. You're not here for a reason. And I'd like to see you safe."

"I know." Eliza answers, voice even softer.

The door to The Grill opens, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes, slim figure, and confidence radiating in her walk and posture strides in, an elegant cream envelope in hand.

"Who's that?" Eliza asks curiously.

"Let's go." Alaric grabs his sister more urgently, taking note of the female Original and all but dragging Eliza out the exit.

"Alaric-" Eliza protests, Alaric shoving her into his car.

"Rebekah Mikaelson." Alaric answers his younger sister's question. "And you need to avoid her at all cost. The Mikaelsons are dangerous. And I may be a Hunter. But I would be nothing against them. I'm not arrogant enough to assume that. I would save you at any cost. But I'm not certain I could save you against them, Eliza. _Please_. Just be careful. _Be safe_."

"Okay. I understand." Eliza promises, nodding in understanding; the Mikaelsons of course were legendary, the founding vampires of the entire vampire race, anyone smart enough in the supernatural community knew this.

"Now let's get this food back to my apartment. I'm sure Luke and Liv are dying of hunger by now." Alaric jokes, his engine roaring to life.

 ** _Hello my lovely readers!_**

 ** _First of all,_**

 ** _This is the fanfic that I mentioned like AGES ago that I wanted to do... So, yes, another Original Brothers/OC. I am SOOO excited! I finally just say, you know what, screw finding the "right" time. I had a tiny flicker of inspiration & I'm doing it! Anddd, here it is!_**

 ** _Second, it will vaguely follow a little canon, but not a lot. *throws it out the window* Also, I'm bringing in characters from future seasons. Because it is needed! So, we're doing some hand-wavey TVD magic! Because the writers are GOD! Bahaha!_**

 ** _Third, I am writing a little different than any of my other TVD stories. Hopefully my vision for it will prevail!_**

 ** _Fourth, ummm... Well, actually I think that's about it! Welcome to the craziness! I hope I don't loose my momentum on any other story, but you know how inspiration is... Fickle & torturous! Plot bunnies to put it frank are a bitch. They have a mind of their own. So, let's cross fingers & pray to the almighty writing gods! Lols._**

 ** _Welcome to the journey with me!_**

 ** _Lots of love,_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	3. Ghosts (Part Two)

No One's POV

Finn waited for his sister outside the local Mystic Falls Grill, leaning casually against one of their more subtle cars, if you could call a brand new BMW subtle that is, observing the townspeople as they went about their daily lives; the modern world was so foreign to him, so different, and so lonely.

The chattering of humans, occasional crying of children, chirping of animals, and perhaps barking of dogs and meowing of cats all distant house pets washing over of him, all a haze and blur in his mind.

His siblings had all found things in this new world to occupy their time, even if it was merely distractions. Still, in a way he envied them.

Rebekah sought to be human, to enjoy the human intricacies of life, Kol took pleasure in wreaking havoc, and even if Finn didn't condone that, Kol at least had fun, Niklaus had sought power and wealth, and Elijah had sought his family back together as one and to seek redemption.

But what was left for him? Instead he was left in a world 900 years different than what he knew and moreover 900 years separated from the one person he desired to be with, that he had breathed for, lived for, would have given everything for; now there was nothing left for him to live for, only faded memories to cling to.

Then, laughter hit his ears, an achingly familiar tone piercing through the bland hum that had become his grey and dull life. He would have recognized it anywhere, from any time, any place, or any moment.

Radiant blonde hair with gentle waves framing a face flashed by through a car window, the face blurring by before he could see.

" _Eliza_." Finn barely dares to breathe, body stilling into stone as memories flood his mind.

 _11 Century A.D_

 _" **Eliza**." Finn greets, now cresting the small hill to their designated meeting place, breathe catching as he sees his mate sitting under the shade of the great oak, wild flowers in her small basket._

 _"Finn." Eliza smiles up at the eldest Original._

 _"What are you doing today?" Finn asks, seating himself next to Eliza._

 _"Mother sent me to pick flowers and herbs."_

 _"May I help you my dearest Eliza?" Finn asks politely, hand coming up to brush gently across Eliza's face._

 _"You are not good at picking flowers or herbs, Finn." Eliza giggles. "Do you remember last time?"_

 _"Teach me then, my love." Finn smiles tenderly. "We do not have much time. My siblings will question where I am."_

 _Eliza sighs, looking away from Finn, a small downward tilt to her lips indicating her unhappiness._

 _"One day, my dearest Eliza. I am sorry." Finn offers, taking Eliza's smaller hand in hers. "One day. I am sorry. I do not wish to hide our love. It is- I promise. I will build us a house. I will ask your father for your hand. And we will be together. Always and forever."_

 _"Always and forever." Eliza echoes._

"Finn?" Rebekah snaps her fingers in front of her eldest brother's face. "Finn!?"

"Hmm? Yes? What Rebekah?" Finn finally snaps into focus.

"I'm ready to leave." Rebekah indicates. "What are- is- did you see something?"

"No, nothing. I am fine. Yes, let us leave." Finn agrees, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Okay." Rebekah looks skeptical.

"Did the football player agree to come?" Finn asks politely, not particularly caring, especially now that he had seen what he had seen.

"I gave him the invite. I don't know. It's fine. Either he comes or he doesn't. Whatever." Rebekah offers back flippantly. "Mother wants us back. We need to get ready for the ball anyways."

"I do hope he comes. He would be foolish not to come to be with you." Finn replies, finding that for the first time, he may actually care about his siblings small problems instead of staying aloof as he usually did.

Rebekah looks a bit taken aback by her eldest brother's words.

"Thank you, Finn." Rebekah simply replies.

Finn only nods once, thoughts once against lost to memories and a ghost that now haunts his mind.


	4. Haunted Memories (Part One)

No One's POV

Returning to the Mikaelson mansion, music now softly played in the main room as the Mikaelson siblings began getting ready for the ball they were hosting; Rebekah having her nails done on the couch, Kol standing in front of a mirror being fitted, while Elijah and Finn stood off to the side also having the finishing touches being put on their own suits.

"Rebekah? Tell me how handsome I am." Kol demands, admiring himself in the mirror.

"Oh Kol, you know I can't be compelled." Rebekah rolls her eyes, to which Elijah softly chuckles, Finn barely paying attention to his siblings, still lost in thoughts and memories of a love he had found and lost.

 _11 Century A.D._

 _"Eliza?" Finn calls softly, once again cresting the small hill to their secret rendezvous place they had agreed upon only to find his mate not there. "Eliza?" His voice is louder this time._

 _His sense peak, inner vampire pacing a little as he circles the tree and scents the air for her familiar scent of the possibility of it close by or lingering in the air._

 _"Eliza? My love?" Finn calls again, voice a little frantic as he flashes around the small clearing, hunting for his mate now more insistently._

 _A high pitch scream echoes in the nearby area sending Finn into a flurry of panic and hysteria._

 _"Eliza!" Finn yells._

 _The scene before him sends his inner vampire alight with murderous instincts, a threatening growl ripping through his clenched teeth and rumbling from deep in his chest as he bares them at his mate's aggressors, his eyes already turning flat black, veins appearing underneath in fracture lines._

 _Everything after that was a blur in his mind after that, at least until the three bodies of the men attacking Eliza were dead before him and dropped carelessly to the ground._

 _"F- Finn?" Eliza asks cautiously, hand carefully raising out as if to reach for him but was hesitant to._

 _Finn shakes his head lightly, almost as if dispelling some sort of fog in his mind, before looking at his mate._

 _" **Eliza**." Finn breathes, immediately looking anxious and ashamed. "I- I am- this is not- I am sorry… **Please**." He offers, begs even, though he isn't even sure what he's begging for, and unsure of what else to say; he had never intended for her to find out about his more monstrous nature._

 _" **Finn**." Eliza says again, softer this time, her footsteps walking closer to him with measured, even steps even as Finn could tell her heartbeat raced perhaps a little faster than normal though he could not tell the reason why, perhaps from what had just happened or maybe because of him._

 _Either reason, he remained perfectly still, almost as if he were marble stone._

 _"Finn…" Eliza repeats. "It is okay. I am okay… Everything is okay."_

 _" **Eliza**." Finn whispers, Eliza's hand touching his cheek now, cupping it carefully, Finn tilting into her touch as the last of the darkness in his eyes fades away to their normal dark brown._

 _"I am okay. Everything is okay now." Eliza promises._

"You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?!" Niklaus bursts into the living room, startling nearly everyone in the room.

"Here we go." Rebekah drawls out.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?"

"Again with the dagger threats? Don't you have any other tricks?" Kol snarks.

"Oh, go back to staring at yourself." Niklaus growls irritably, snapping back at his younger brother.

"And who are you, my father?" Kol eggs on.

"No, Kol, but you're in my house." Niklaus answers.

"Then perhaps we should go outside." Kol returns the reply.

" _Enough!_ Kol, Klaus, enough." Finn butts in firmly, his siblings all looking at him in surprise, Finn never really one to play the patented older brother, the role always falling to Elijah as the Noble brother. "There is no need to squabble over pointless issues. Mother wants us to get along. We can at _least_ do that for a _night_."

With that, Finn exits the room leaving his siblings a bit dumbfounded at his turn of actions.

"What's with Finn?" Kol asks, asking the question that was clearly on all their minds.

"Who knows? He's been acting funny since we got back from town." Rebekah shrugs a bit casually, but equally as confused as all her other siblings.

"Well Finn's always been close to mother… Maybe he knows something." Niklaus says, perhaps even a bit bitterly.

"I don't trust Finn. He hates what we are, he always has." Elijah shakes his head.

"That's not true. And as for mother, she returned for one reason, to make our family whole. She loves us. What trouble are you looking to find?" Rebekah questions.


	5. Haunted Memories (Part Two)

No One's POV

"A ball!?" Eliza exclaims, flipping over the envelope in her hand to examine it, the elegant cream envelope having been on the counter when she and Alaric had come home with food from The Grill. "I've always wanted to go to one! That sounds so elegant and exciting!"

" ** _No!_** " Alaric all but flies across the island in his kitchen to snatch the invite out of his little sister's hand. "Absolutely not! That's a horrible idea!"

"But-"

"The _Original_ family is hosting that! Are you out of your goddamn _mind_ , Eliza!?" Alaric waves his hands around as if it would make the point more clear.

"Your brother has a point, 'Liza." Olivia points out, one of the Gemini twins, the oldest of the twins, but only by a few minutes.

Olivia and Lucas Parker had come to visit Alaric with Eliza not only because they were Eliza's best friends, but also for her own safety and protection.

Eliza's home was in Portland, Oregon, where the Gemini Coven was. And the Gemini Coven, under their current leader, Joseph's, Olivia and Lucas' father, had orders to protect her.

As one of the most powerful covens on the West Coast and even to some degree in the supernatural community, save some of the covens in New Orleans, primarily for their cloaking and invisibility spells, along with the Prison World they could create, they had been an excellent choice when Alaric and Eliza had needed to settle down somewhere, too tired of being constantly on the run.

"You guys are no fun." Eliza rolls her eyes. "And it's not like you couldn't both come with me." At that she points to both Olivia and Lucas.

Lucas simply rolls his eyes at his best friend.

"You have no self-preservation. It's literally worse than a sheep who follows the herd over a cliff. Or maybe a fly." Lucas complains, stuffing French fries into his mouth.

Eliza simply throws another fry at Lucas, hitting him in the cheek.

"Okay, okay." Alaric says, bringing attention back to the topic at hand.

"Come on. It's just a few hours… If that!" Eliza bargains.

"Alright… I'm not saying you can go… But, _if_ you do. Luke and Liv have to go to. And, they have to agree. And, it is only for a few hours… And, I'm going with you…" Alaric negotiates back, ticking off points on his fingers.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Eliza waves off already looking too eager.

"This is probably horrible idea. But… A ball…" Olivia decides, caving. "Besides, you _do_ only live once!"

"Ugh, _fine_." Lucas groans, giving in as well. "You two are the worst!"

"Then let's get going and get you girls ready and get us suits for this evening." Alaric claps his hand, envelope slapped down on the table as if for emphasis.

"The worst!" Lucas glares half-heartedly as he follows his sister and best friend out to Alaric's car.

 _ **So... As you can see, I'm bringing the Gemini Coven in early... Because Lucas & Olivia are freaking badass & deserve it, instead of the fate they later got because of the way their father led the coven.**_

 _ **Also, I picture Doutzen Kroes as Eliza.**_

 _ **And, you get a double update today because this is such a short chapter!**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_

 _ **P.S. I totally am in love with Alaric & Eliza's sibling relationship. It's sibling goals! And Olivia, Lucas, & Eliza are best friend goals too! Haha!**_


	6. Haunted Memories (Part Three)

No One's POV

The Mikaelson mansion was gorgeous and decorated perfectly; everything in perfect arrangement, soft music playing in the back ground, waiters and waitresses dressed orderly and neat, delicious food being served, and all the guests seemingly having a pleasant time mingling.

"Okay, two and a half hours tops. Cell phones charged? Everyone remember-" Alaric double checks, basically rambling at this point, his nervousness showing as they pull up to the Mikaelson mansion.

"You're _rambling_ big brother. Look, everything will be fine. Really, I know you're worried. But I'm not a little girl anymore. Please, would you at least appear to be at least a little happy? Enjoy this even?" Eliza calms, setting a hand over his calmly.

"Fine." Alaric simply grumbles, getting out of his driver's seat to help Olivia out of the back seat while Lucas helped Eliza out of the front passenger seat.

"He's a worry-wart." Eliza giggles a little conspirator to Olivia as Olivia slides up to her on the other side.

"I heard that, 'Liza." Alaric glares playfully at his sister's back.

"You were meant to, 'Laric." Eliza laughs as they walk up the front steps of the Mikaelson mansion, the double doors opening for the trio of Eliza, Lucas, and Olivia, Alaric several paces behind them having given the keys to his car to the valet.

"Hey, Alaric! What are you doing here?" Damon comes up to his friend. "Aren't you supposed to be resting after, you know, being-?" Damon makes a motion across his neck to indicate dying.

"Hey Damon…" Alaric answers distracted, cursing silently in his mind as he has already lost his sister in the crowd.

"Everything okay, man?" Damon asks.

"Yeah, fine, I lost someone in the crowd. I- uh, gotta go. Talk to you later, Damon." Alaric says, patting his friend on the shoulder before taking off into the every growing crowd in the Mikaelson mansion.

Niklaus had been leaning against the bar, drink in hand and bored out of his mind, watching the crowd of his mother and sister's ball pass him by when he saw her across the room alone; a face that would haunt his mind for centuries, losing her had been the worst pain he had ever experienced, it had felt like someone had torn his heart from his chest, no, his very _soul_ from his very body.

 _1880s, New Orleans_

 _"Your coffee, sir." Eliza carefully sets down his cup with a saucer on the table, Niklaus looking up from his sketch pad at the approach of the woman he had quickly, far too quickly he would admit, become attached to, even if she **was** his mate; this had been the third time he had come to this restaurant in New Orleans in the past few weeks and contrary to appearances it wasn't because the coffee was all that wonderful._

 _"Thank you." Niklaus answers._

 _"You're welcome, sir." Eliza answers with a small smile. "Is there anything else?"_

 _"No, not for now."_

 _Eliza smiles before heading back towards the kitchen to bring back someone else's order._

 _"Another cup of coffee, sir?" Eliza asks sometime later, the pot of coffee in her hand. "It's freshly brewed."_

 _"Yes, please. Thank you." Niklaus offers, pushing the cup forward slightly into her reach._

 _"Our coffee must be something special." Eliza comments lightly, filling his cup carefully, ensuring not to spill the steaming hot liquid._

 _"Or perhaps I simply fancy the company." Niklaus answers back smoothly, smiling up at Eliza. "If I may be so bold in saying so, that is."_

 _"Oh, well…" Eliza looks a bit flustered at his words, endearingly so. "I- you don't know me…"_

 _"But I would like to know you. Dinner, perhaps? Tonight?" Niklaus asks. "If you are interested?"_

 _"I don't know why you would be interested in me, I'm just a-"_

 _"But I am." Niklaus cuts off his mate's protests. "If you are, of course. But I'll have to warn you, I'm charmingly persistent."_

 _"Dinner then. My shift gets done at 6:30 tonight."_

 _"Splendid. I'll pick you up this evening." Niklaus smiles, picking up his pencil to sketch a few more lines in his book before leaving._

"Oh! _Klaus!_ " Caroline bumps straight into the Original Hybrid as he had unconsciously begun to make his way across the ballroom floor towards the direction of his mate, although he wasn't really sure it _was_ her, she had been dead for over a century, no, not just dead, _taken_ from him, _murdered_ ; then again, how could it not be her? It was a nearly spitting image of her.

"Caroline." Niklaus says distractedly, looking down at the blonde cheerleader he had once fancied, the drawn now gone, head already looking back over her shoulder.

"Well?" Caroline asks, seemingly impatient at something.

"Hmm?" Niklaus asks, looking and blinking at Caroline only briefly.

"Aren't you going to acknowledge me?"

"Oh, yes, hello Caroline." Niklaus waves off. "You look… Very... Nice."

"Nice?" Caroline echoes, face scrunching up and looking completely baffled as the Hybrid almost pushes by her rudely, Niklaus nearly growling as he sees a blond male walk up to his mate and hand her a glass of wine to drink.

"Here 'Liza. Your drink. Some fruity wine you like or whatever." He hears the blond comment.

"Aw, such a good date." Eliza teases playfully, taking the glass from her best friend.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm perfect." Lucas rolls his eyes. "Alaric is going to kill us for ditching him."

"You're with me. He won't kill us _that_ much."

"You, he won't kill _you_ maybe." Lucas corrects.

"You're so dramatic."

"Hey, I think they're doing an announcement or something." Olivia darts up to her brother and best friend from the other room.

"Oh, thanks, Liv." Eliza smiles, turning to Olivia.

"Shall we?" Lucas offers his arm to Eliza.

Niklaus growls lightly in annoyance before trudging off towards the stairs to meet with his siblings on the staircase.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance." Elijah begins to speak, his gaze sweeping across the crowd as he holds a glass of champagne, not particularly focusing on anyone person at least until a figure caught his eyes, striking blue eyes that burned forever in his memory, shining under the ballroom lights.

 _1920s, Chicago_

 _"My apologies, I hadn't realized someone was out here." Elijah steps out on the balcony to the large estate, away from the bustle of the party inside to breathe in fresh air, a contrast to the cigarette and cigar smoke that lingered inside the estate._

 _"Everything's jake. I was just getting some fresh air." Eliza smiles, face turning towards him, Elijah getting his first glimpse of the high class woman that was to be the center of his entire world and would be his mate for the few short months he would be in Chicago during the early 1920s._

 _"Hmm." Elijah hums noncommittedly, walking up slowly to lean casually against the railing. "My name is Elijah Mikaelson. I don't believe I've seen you around here recently. Are you new to town?"_

 _Despite Chicago being a fairly large city, parties for the upper elite tended to be smaller circles as Elijah had noticed, everyone knowing everyone; the drama big news and gossip ramped._

 _"Eliza Carter, Mr. Mikaelson." Eliza answers, doing a light curtsey and offering her hand. "My family's been away, in Europe, traveling. And my father doesn't often like me in the city."_

 _"I see. I am fairly new to the city. I came from Europe myself. With my younger brother." Elijah offers, dropping Eliza's hand. "We came here on business. However, have also inherited a good share of money."_

 _"Well isn't that just berries." Eliza offers back mildly._

 _"You don't enjoy partying, do you, Miss Eliza?" Elijah observes, realizing very quickly, despite her upper social class status, that Eliza wasn't inside the party, but rather outside._

 _"It has its certain- charms."_

 _"Perhaps you'd like to catch a cinema with me? It is not too late." Elijah suggests._

 _"That would just be just swell. Sounds wonderful!"_

Elijah snapped out of the memory, his hand tightening a fraction around the glass he held in his hand; it was impossible, Eliza was _gone_.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom." Elijah finally finishes, gesturing to the ballroom and leaving his siblings to descend the staircase, himself feeling quite shaken and in no mood to keep pretenses.

"Well, shall we?" Lucas offers his hand with a slight dramatic flourish and bow to his best friend, a playful smirk hinting at his features. "It is _tradition_ after all."

"You're such a dork, Luke." Eliza laughs. "But I kind of love you too." At that she takes Lucas' hand and allows him to lead her to the dance floor, Olivia laughing at her younger twin brother, who happens to be gay, and her best friend.

The lights of the ball room dimmed slightly and the steady beat of the music began, the swish of dresses swirling in grand sweeps and step of feet thudding in time the only sound echoing in the silence as the lyrics swept through the room.

 ** _Just a little note... In canon Lucas Parker is gay. So I'm not making that up for a random plot device!_**

 ** _Also, I've been asked how old the Parker twins are & Eliza is. In TVD the twins are 21, later turning 22 when they merge. So I'm placing them currently as 21, since they are both alive! Eliza is 23. I will eventually actually weave this into the story line. But since you've all asked, I'll tell you. It's not like it's a spoiler! Lols._**

 ** _Alaric is 33/34 when the Original Witch turns him into the Original Hunter. In case anyone is wondering... This is also canon! Ergo, this is his age... So, Eliza and Alaric are 10/11 years apart._**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	7. Haunted Memories (Part Four)

No One's POV

The Mikaelsons had all taken partners onto the dance floor, Finn and Elijah taken women who they had no particular interest in, neither were they available even if they had been interested in them, but more out of pretense for their family; Elijah had asked Mayor Lockwood, and Finn had asked Sherriff Forbes, Niklaus, however, had been paired with Caroline.

"I heard about your father." Niklaus comments, swirling himself and Caroline around the ballroom.

"Don't. Seriously." Caroline cuts off with a steel tone.

"Very well." Niklaus drops the subject, eyes gazing past Caroline to see if he could see his mate, or doppelganger of her, on the dance floor. "You know, you're quite the dancer."

"Well, I've had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls." Caroline dismisses.

Niklaus falls silent, giving up on any civil conversation with the blonde cheerleader, and just in time to, partners switching, Mayor Lockwood turning into his embrace.

"Mayor Lockwood." Niklaus bows formally, internally sighing.

" _Klaus_."

Elijah passed Mayor Lockwood off to his brother, barely paying attention to the steps of the dance nor the song that played softly in the background, his thoughts a muddled, jumbled mess after what he had seen during his short speech on the stairs.

" _Eliza_." Elijah breathes lowly, too low for her to hear, a small, slim body swinging into his arms, one hand landing on his shoulder and the other finding his hand.

"Hello." Eliza answers, expression gazing up into his.

"Hello." Elijah offers back, almost too stunned to move or remember that they were dancing. "Elijah Mikaelson."

"Eliza Saltzman." Eliza offers back, bowing as they continue to sweep across the floor.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Eliza." Elijah smiles genuinely, gaze searching hers hoping to find something, a glimmer of recognition from her, but finding nothing; a doppelganger of his long lost mate then? Was that possible?

Was this truly her? Was this fate's cruel joke and merely a ghost meant to torment him for all eternity?

He feels an ache deep in his body, his inner vampire practically screaming at him to wrap around his mate and seclude her away from everything as not to lose her again.

"Do you-?" Elijah hesitates, mind conflicted, but it was too late to gather his thoughts as partners once more changed and Eliza Saltzman slipped from his grasp.

"Hmm… Let me guess." Eliza gazes up at the eldest Mikaelson, noticing the subtle similarities to Elijah Mikaelson. "Finn Mikaelson?"

Finn blinks down at his mate for another moment in stunned silence, barely daring to breathe as she fits herself into his embrace as they dance.

"Are- are you okay?" Eliza questions concerned, her brow coming together in a small furrow.

"Yes- yes. I- all is well. I am Finn Mikaelson. It is a pleasure to meet you." Finn finally manages to string together a coherent sentence.

"Eliza Saltzman. The pleasure is mine." Eliza answers, giggling a little at Finn's stumbling, a smile appearing on her face as they move elegantly across the dance floor.

"Saltzman, as in Alaric Saltzman? The hunter?" Finn asks, recognizing the name, even if he hadn't been awake very long.

"Yes… He's my older brother. I'm visiting from out of town." Eliza looks a bit sheepish, realizing there may be some bad history between her brother and the Originals. "I missed him a lot."

"I see. Family is very important." Finn nods in understanding, both continuing to dance.

Across the floor, Elijah and Niklaus both glare at their brother, gazes practically burning holes in Finn's back as they watch him with Eliza.

"Oh, it looks like our time is ending, Finn." Eliza says, realizing that the song was winding down and the dance was ending.

"Indeed, it is. Thank you for this dance, Eliza. You are a graceful dancer and wonderful partner." Finn bows to Eliza, hand wanting to instinctively tighten around his mate, not wanting to let her slip from his embrace.

"Thank you, Finn. You're not so bad yourself." Eliza teases. "I had a good partner. Truly."

At that, Eliza curtsies to the last notes of the song, taking her leave a moment later to find her friends.

"There you are… Alaric is looking for you." Olivia pops up next to Eliza the second she steps off the dance floor, grabbing onto her arm. "He saw you dancing with the Mikaelsons. He's not happy."

"That's hardly _my_ fault, Liv! And 'Laric is never happy." Eliza protests with a sarcastic snort. "What was I supposed to do? _Leave_ the dance floor in the middle of the dance?"

"Hey, I'm just the messenger. Me on the other hand… The one in the suit, he's pretty hot." Olivia points out with a little laugh.

"They were both in suits, Liv…" Eliza deadpans.

"The first one you danced with." Olivia offers as an explanation.

"That was Elijah Mikaelson."

"Well he was hot." Olivia smirks. "And he was _definitely_ interested in you. And in a good way. He practically had hearts in his eyes the whole time."

"He did _not_ , Liv." Eliza snorts as they walk towards where Alaric presumingly was, at least Eliza thought that's where Olivia was guiding her.

"So did!"

"Doesn't matter. Alaric would try to kill him. And he's an _Original_. So that would end _so_ well." Eliza rolls her eyes.

"Fine. Ruin _my_ fun." Olivia fake pouts.

"You've all been trying to do that to me all night." Eliza sasses back.

" _Eliza Saltzman!_ " Alaric scolds as they walk up to Alaric and Lucas.

"See?" Eliza points out, both her and Olivia breaking out in laughter.

"Hey big brother! Fancy seeing _you_ here!"


	8. All My Children (Part One)

No One's POV

"You called for me this morning, mother?" Finn walks into Esther's study, thoughts of the night before at the ball still lingering in his mind; memories of his lost mate along with the desire to chase a ghost that was in front of him both clashing together, he had plans to go into town this afternoon and attempt to track Eliza Saltzman down, the allure was simply too strong.

"Yes, I did." Esther answers shortly, writing the names of the Mikaelson children on a piece of parchment. "Close the door, the sage burns."

Finn does so, but looks at the table his mother works at with apprehension settling in his gut; perhaps at one time, originally when he first woke up, he would have helped his mother with her plans, but not now, not when Eliza was here, or a doppelganger, or a ghost of her was here.

Now he had a chance, a glimmer of a moment of hope, of something that could tie him to this world, and set him _free_.

"We must complete the link." Esther states, not turning from her work as she gathers the needed supplies. "Elena donated her blood yesterday evening and it courses through your veins. The time is running out."

" _No_." Finn denies, voice firm.

"No?" Esther now turns, expression hard, as if she had never expected her son to turn from her ways or challenge her.

"No, mother. I will not help you. Not now and not in the future." Finn repeats, holding his mother's gaze firm. "Perhaps once I would have. But not now."

"You're having second thoughts. That is understandable. They are your siblings, Finn." Esther calms, as if trying to be understanding and compassionate, but she had only ever cared for herself, her own redemption, and she always would.

"Yes, they are. And I do care about them. I should have seen that sooner. But that is not the only reason." Finn answers. "You do not care who you hurt. You do not care about family. I will not help you, mother."

Esther seems even harder, colder at those words.

"I see." Esther simply clips back almost sharply, lips pursed with a tight edge.

"Have a good day, mother." Finn simply acknowledges lightly before turning and exiting the study.

A wooden stake is sticking out of his back, cutting into his heart in another moment, Finn's body dropping to the floor of the study, a gray corpse, before Finn can turn back around.

"I am sorry, my son. This is the right thing." Esther simply says, stepping towards Finn's prone body to get a drop of blood.

"Phasmatos inta grum vin callus... Amalon callagius accodam... Cosom naben dox... Callagius amalon... Gaeda callagius ceremum... Phamato descendium vinum... Phasmatos inta grum vin callus... Cosom naben dox."

In another moment the link is complete, the names of the Mikaelson children connected on the parchment before the paper is burned to ash.

"Have you seen mother or Finn lately?" Elijah asks, walking into the living room where Rebekah now sat from returning from the Salvatore Boarding house and Kol and Niklaus had just left.

"No. Why? Nik and Kol just left, however." Rebekah shrugs carelessly.

"I'm worried about mother. Have you not noticed her strange behavior?" Elijah continues to press for answers.

"She's been dead for a thousand years. What's strange for her?"

"It's nothing, never mind." Elijah gives up attempting to convince his sister of anything to do with their mother; she like Niklaus, despite Niklaus denying it, craved the affection of their mother, and most of all craved family.

"Fine." Rebekah shrugs again.

Elijah walks off, determined to find answers, footsteps taking him to his mother's study first, if anything would give him answers it would be there; Esther had spent most of her time in the study Niklaus had given her after she had been awoken by the Bennett witches.

" _Brother!_ "


	9. All My Children (Part Two)

No One's POV

" _Elizaaa_ …" Olivia sings, sliding through the hall of Alaric's apartment in her socks.

" _Whaaat?_ " Eliza giggles slightly, poking her head up from the couch as she surfs Netflix a bit mindlessly.

"I'm bored!" Olivia complains, plopping down on the opposite couch.

Eliza laughs, setting the remote down to turn to Olivia.

"Okay, so what do you expect _me_ to do about it?" Eliza raises an eyebrow.

"Let's go out!" Olivia suggests.

" _No!_ Absolutely not!" Lucas protests, poking his head into the living room from the kitchen where he is looking for a snack.

"Sure!" Eliza agrees easily, not enjoying being cooped up either.

"Oh, _come on!_ " Lucas throws his hands up into the air, groaning lightly as he grumbles incoherently after his sister and best friend.

"A horrible idea!" He adds, Eliza locking the apartment and all three of them walking out to head into downtown, Alaric of course, at school teaching, as it was day time.

"A short walk will hardly be the end of the world." Eliza points out.

"Famous last words in _every_ horror movie." Lucas shoots back.

"And you say _I'm_ dramatic." Eliza laughs, her blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders as she playfully pushes the younger Gemini twin. "So? Where to?"

"If you're dragging us all out here, we're getting food. I was hungry!" Lucas demands.

"As his _Royal Highness_ demands." Olivia snarks, making a face at her brother and bowing dramatically.

"I'm sorry, _who_ takes _forever_ in the bathroom in the morning?" Lucas shoots back.

"Children, _please_ , are we five?" Eliza snickers at the twin's banter. "And, The Grill it is I suppose."

Bantering playfully back and forth, the trio of best friends tumble into the local Mystic Falls Grill, which is the scene that Kol first glimpses the woman who had haunted his memories for centuries, even in the dark fog of being daggered for centuries.

 _1700s, Spain_

 _"Hello, my lady." Kol bows lowly to Eliza, his hand held out to his mate and classic smirk gracing his features as his eyes light up at the sight of her;_ _she was beautiful, an angel, he swore, just for him, and he would do anything in the world for her, burn cities or give her the world if he had to._

 _"My lord." Eliza curtsies properly, a smile hinting at her lips._

 _"May I?" Kol offers, gesturing to the mare behind him._

 _"You may." Eliza nods, tilting her head regally._

 _"Thank you, my lady." Kol smiles broader, carefully helping Eliza onto the horse before flipping the reigns over the mare's head and offering them to his mate._

 _"Where are we going?" Eliza questions as Kol mounts his own horse and pulls up beside her._

 _"A surprise." Kol smirks slightly, before setting off at a leisure pace beyond the lands of Eliza's father's lands._

 _"Your dinner, my lady." Kol finally flourishes after a mild ride into the countryside and helping Eliza off her horse._

 _"It is wonderful, Kol." Eliza smiles, hand placed over Kol's._

 _"I am glad." Kol answers, relief in his expression as they both settle on the blanket to eat their midday meal._

 _"There are many interesting placed abroad. I have found many people in small towns, villages, with many experiences and stories to share. Most of them I have found in Africa." Kol tells his mate after they have finished eating and are now simply peacefully enjoying time together, Eliza lying in his lap as he plays gently with her blonde locks that curl naturally around her face._

 _"Tell me, **please**." Eliza pleads. "You **must** have interesting stories. I have never left home. I do so wish to travel…"_

 _"Well…" Kol hesitates only briefly, toying with the stories he has accumulated over the many centuries he has been alive. "I suppose, there was this one time…"_

"Hello, I don't believe we've met before. I'm Kol, Kol Mikaelson, at your service." Kol appears in front of Eliza, a smirk playing at his lips as his eyes dance with fire and light; this was his mate, he may not know _how_ this was her, but he had no doubt and he really didn't care.

Once he had lost her, darkness had consumed his life, it had consumed his _soul_ , everything had ceased to matter, and he had ravaged town after town, uncaring of anything else; she had been everything to him, the light to his darkness, the point at which he set his compass on, his very life and air he breathed

"Eliza Saltzman." Eliza blinks slightly, face looking up at the youngest Mikaelson brother, slightly startled at the sudden appearance of him.

"It's so lovely to meet you. I didn't get the pleasure last night… I was otherwise incapacitated." Kol offers, taking Eliza's hand and kissing it lightly, referring to Damon snapping his neck, not that Eliza knew that.

"Ummm…" Eliza offers, unsure of what was happening.

"Kol… Are you bothering this _lovely_ lady?" Niklaus says, strolling up as casually as he could when in fact all he wanted to do was snap his younger brother's neck and take Eliza into his own arms. "Klaus Mikaelson, darling."

"What the fuck is happening to our lives?" Lucas mutters under his breathe, looking between Niklaus and Kol confused, both Originals catching the muttering. "Alaric is going to kill us…"

"Nonsense, Nik. I'm not bother her, am I?" Kol smiles charmingly.

"No?" Eliza answers voice unsure, the phrase _definitely_ a question because she also had no idea what the fuck was happening and how this was her life.

"Then let us apologize. Join us for a drink?" Niklaus offers.

"Actually I'm with-" Eliza points out, not simply going to ditch her friends, her _best_ _friends_ , to have a drink with two Originals.

"Never mind us. _Eliza!_ " Olivia pokes her best friend, giving her the "look" which all girls know and have when attractive guys are close by. "Seriously!?"

"What!?" Eliza gives Olivia a look back.

Olivia rolls her eyes back and pokes her again.

"It's _fine_." Olivia stresses the word fine, as if to indicate that maybe things were really fine, in more than one way.

"I'd love to, then." Eliza finally smiles, sliding from the booth she, Olivia, and Lucas had been seated at.

"Wonderful, love." Niklaus offers his arm for Eliza and leading her over to the bar, Kol glaring daggers at his older brother from behind Eliza's back. "What would you like to drink?"

"Actually just a Sprite would be perfect. I can drink. I'm 23, but it is only one in the afternoon." Eliza points out.

Niklaus and Kol share a look, now looking a bit conflicted over drinking themselves; she already had more power over them than anyone else in the world and didn't even realize it. A seemingly insignificant human (not that she was insignificant to them), swaying two of the most psychotic Originals with just a simple phrase; the irony was not lost to either of them.

"But by all means, drink away. You're Originals. I doubt you can get drunk off of one or two drinks... Or even ten..." Eliza waves off, smirking as the two youngest Mikaelson brothers show a hint of surprise in their expressions. "You didn't think my brother would warn me about the Original family when I came into town? Then you're sadly mistaken."

"Oh, Eliza Saltzman has fire and sass. I happen to like pretty little things with sharp tongues." Kol comments, grinning wide, eyes dancing.

Eliza snorts a little into her drink while Niklaus glares at his brother again from over Eliza's head.

"Easy there, tiger." Eliza rolls her eyes. "And I happen to like men with _class_. I'm not sure _you_ qualify… Kol Mikaelson, the uncontrollable _psychotic_ _maniac_ of the Mikaelson men…"

This time Niklaus smirks into his drink, Kol looking affronted and amused at the same time.

"Perhaps then, I should-" Kol begins, raising his hand to brush a strand of hair from Eliza's face, an action he had done a countless times before.

" **Kol** , _Niklaus_." Elijah barges into The Grill, Finn directly behind his brother, the sudden intrusion making Lucas and Olivia jump to attention as if reacting to a potential threat.

"Elijah?" Niklaus startles. "What?"

"Come." Elijah jerks his head. "We must go. Mother-"

"What did mother do? What did she do, Elijah?" Niklaus demands.


	10. All My Children (Part Three)

No One's POV

"What did mother do? _What did she do, Elijah?_ " Niklaus demands urgently, immediately upset and on edge, eyes turning towards Finn in accusation; Finn, after all, had always been the most loyal and closest to their mother, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume he would be the one to have helped her.

"Now is not the time to throw accusations, Niklaus." Elijah holds his hands up in a placating manner. " _Come_. All will be explained on the way."

Niklaus growls lightly, all but slamming his glass onto the bar and hopping off the barstool.

"If you'll excuse us, love… Family business and whatnot..." Niklaus excuses himself, expression barely holding back irritation at being interrupted with time with his mate and unraveling the mystery that was Eliza Saltzman.

"Can I help?" Eliza pipes in, already hoping off the barstool herself.

"Eliza?" Elijah asks at the same time, the informal slip of tongue automatic and stepping forward instinctively, his expression dark with several emotions as he just now notices the doppelganger or incarnation of his mate, which ever it may be he was not quite sure; a mystery he did hope to find out at some point, perhaps just not now when his mother was on a murdering spree to kill off her own children.

"Hello Elijah, Finn." Eliza smiles. "So… Can I help? What's going on?"

For a moment Elijah is stuck, starring into the all too compassionate eyes of his mate, a century worth a memories rushing back through his mind.

 _1920s, Chicago_

 _"Ah, yes, hello Mr. Mikaelson. Have you come to call on Ms. Carter?" Edwin Jarvis, one of the Carter family's butlers asks politely, having opened the front door to the Carter estate at Elijah's polite ring of the doorbell._

 _"Yes, please, if she is available Mr. Jarvis." Elijah asks, hands folded behind his back._

 _"Of course, please do come in." Jarvis ushers. "Ms. Carter is in the backyard I believe. You may find her there."_

 _"Thank you Jarvis." Elijah nods, walking towards the back of the house and towards the grand French doors of the grand country mansion._

 _"Oh, you silly old dog." Eliza's voice is heard by Elijah, a worried tone to it, Elijah finally catching sight of his mate seated in the backyard of the Carter manor. "How did you get yourself into this dreadful mess?"_

 _"Eliza." Elijah calls, voice deep, unable to help the slight rumble of pleasure his inner vampire let out at the sight of his mate._

 _"Hello Elijah." Eliza turns to look up at her suitor._

 _"What are you doing, Elskan?" Elijah asks, noting the ripped and dirty state of her dress and slight streak of dirt across her cheek, as if she had rubbed at an itch on her face with her hand or brushed away a stray piece of hair._

 _"Blue got himself stuck in the fence while he was chasing a rabbit." Eliza worries, attempting to break the wood free to no avail, her hands clearly dirty and slightly scratched from where she had already tried to move some fence pieces and clumps of weeds._

 _"And you thought you may try and get him out? Elskan, you have **servants** for this." Elijah points out mildly._

 _"Yes, but Blue is my dog." Eliza pets her childhood dog softly, the dog whimpering lightly, all but glaring at Elijah before holding onto Blue's body closer. "He's old and scared and hurt. How could I just **leave** him by himself?"_

 _"Of course, my love." Elijah immediately softens, bending down to pat the old dog's head. "Allow me to help you." At that he sheds his suit coat and kneels to help._

 _Despite her appearance, her muddied dress and skewed hair, Elijah didn't think he had seen any woman any more beautiful; Eliza's compassion and love for even the smallest creature, one that many would simply leave for another to deal with, had shown him her pure heart and nature._

"Nothing you need to be concerned about, Miss Eliza." Elijah finally recovers his propriety.

"Eliza, please, no need to be so formal." Eliza corrects.

"Eliza." Elijah amends. "We appreciate the concern, but our family issues are not something you should involve yourself with or worry about."

Never mind the fact that the mere _thought_ of his mother around his mate set every instinct of his inner vampire alight with every protective instinct he had inside him. His mother would never touch his mate, he silently vowed. _Never_.

"And I would argue that the Original Witch is _everyone's_ problem." Eliza deadpans, rolling her eyes a little at the second oldest Original. "Now, don't argue. You won't win and we're wasting precious time. So, I'll ask again… _What's happening?_ "

"Mother has linked us together as one." Finn answers instead, in place of Elijah, finding it easy to bow to his mate's command and question, as he _always_ had; she was his mate after all, the absolute center of his world, or _had_ been, until everything had crumbled to pieces in the flames and ashes of their shared past. "She wants to kill us all, but by doing so, will eradicate all the vampires off the earth."

Kol and Niklaus growl a little at that admission.

"And pray tell, _Finn_." Niklaus spits out, his eldest brother's name like a curse. "Just _how_ did she accomplish that? And how do you _know_ this?"

"Elena's blood." Elijah answers, silently resigned to having his mate involved in things, obviously his protests would do no good if his brothers were involved; he wordlessly cursed and glared at them in his mind for allowing it, but clearly they didn't care or know that they were putting the most precious and valuable thing in Elijah's life in danger.

"And mine. But not willingly. I refused. While I may have helped her perhaps at one time, at first, I would not now. You are my siblings. I have realized this." Finn answers, leaving out the fact it was largely in part because of the woman standing in front of them all. "I know it comes too late for your forgiveness. But I do wish to try."

"A likely fact." Kol grumps, crossing his arms in front of him like a moody child sulking.

"Finn is telling the truth, Kol. I found Finn daggered in mother's study this morning." Elijah intervenes.

" _Genocide_." Lucas pipes in, the Gemini twins now coming up to stand as a united front behind Eliza, having been hovering just in the peripherals of the group while the discussion had been going, Niklaus giving the youngest Gemini twin a dismissive, if not barely concealed glare, recognizing him as the date Eliza had taken to the Mikaelson ball the night before.

"And who may you be?" Elijah asks politely.

"Olivia and Lucas Parker." Olivia introduces. "Eliza's best friends. And if she's helping, then we're not leaving her alone. Besides, I think you'll find that you may need our help sooner, rather than later." That said with a slight glimmer in her expression.

"And what makes you so special?" Kol criticizes, saying what Niklaus had barely managed to bite back.

"We appreciate the offer Miss Parker and Mister Parker, but-" Elijah tries to excuse.

"Believe me, you'll _want_ them. Better yet, you _need_ them. And we're wasting time still… Weren't you in a hurry earlier?" Eliza cuts Elijah off with a serious look, figuring Elijah, the Noble, Moral Original was the easiest to convince out of all of the more volatile Originals, save Finn, known as the Loyal, of her best friend's involvement without disclosing who or what they were just quite yet.

"Yes, of course." Elijah snaps his mouth shut, his excuse dying on his lips, choosing instead to trust his mate's word. "We were. We are. _Come_. My car is this way if you'd like to follow me."


	11. All My Children (Part Four)

No One's POV

" _Eliza!_ What the _hell_ are you **_thinking!?_** " Olivia hisses, glaring at her best friend from the passenger seat as their modest Camry follows Elijah's sleeker BMW.

" _Obviously_ , she's **not**. She's _insane_ , mentally _incompetent_ , and _clearly_ dazzled by four walking, sex on legs, **_Originals_**." Lucas pipes in from the backseat.

"Please _never_ say that again." Olivia closes her eyes for a long moment, cringing slightly as if it physically pained her what her brother just said.

"Sorry I'm not _blind?_ " Lucas snarks back. "And need I remind who was the one _encouraging_ her a moment ago back at the Mystic Fall Grill?"

"You know… I'm sitting _right_ here." Eliza reminds, lips pulling up in a slight smirk at her friends' banter. "And I'm driving…"

"Right. Well, I'll repeat the question then… What the _hell_ were you **_thinking!?_** " Olivia waves her hand around a bit irrationally.

"Well… I was _thinking_ , Liv… That even if they are the **_Originals_**. That no _one_ , even the _big bad_ **_Originals_** , deserves to have their own mother try to **_kill_** them. And, that the Original Witch is, as I said… _Everyone's_ concern." Eliza rolls her eyes.

"Ugh. I hate when you're right." Olivia groans.

"I'm always right, Liv." Eliza grins. "Come on, this will be an adventure."

"Famous last words… Alaric is going to _murder_ us." Lucas slumps his head against the headrest of the backseat, the car pulling off to the side of the road, parking neatly next to Elijah's BMW.

"My lady." Kol is suddenly at Eliza's car door, opening it with a flourish, a cheeky little smirk on his face.

"Thank you Kol." Eliza laughs a little, managing not to startle too badly at the youngest Mikaelson's appearance.

"This isn't suspiciously out in the middle of _nowhere_ at all…" Lucas mutters under his breathe, hoping out the car a moment later. "Take the humans out to murder them… No one will notice… It's just a stray animal attack…" Lucas continues to mutter under his breathe like a bad Bond villain.

Niklaus barely refrains from smirking at Lucas' mutterings, managing to turn his back from the blond male.

"So… Where are we?" Eliza inquires, looking around.

"Not far from where our mother has made her… Place of craft. Or so we were informed by the Salvatore brothers." Elijah answers.

"Hmmm." Eliza nods. "And, do you _trust_ their information? What makes them so sure? Do we have a game plan, so to speak?"

The rapid fire of questioning and line of inquiry has Kol immediately reminiscing of times long since passed, of a previous life time he had lost, of a woman he had loved.

 _1700s, Spain_

 _"Bellissimo. Eliza." Kol breathes, setting his sights on his mate for the first time in a few weeks, having been traveling for some time._

 _"Kol." Eliza turns to face him, eyes immediately lighting up happily._

 _"Hello, my lady." Kol bows a half proper, half mock pretense._

 _" **Kol!** " Eliza almost launches herself at him, arms wrapping around him tightly._

 _"I have **missed** you, bellissimo." Kol whispers._

 _"I have missed you too." Eliza pulls back to place a kiss to his cheek._

 _"How was your journey? What did you see? Did you have any adventures?" His little mate begins firing off eagerly._

 _"How about you let us settle first? And then I shall tell you. And, I brought you a gift, bellissimo. Surely you would like to see it?" Kol entices, taking Eliza's hand in his and looping it through his arm._

 _"A gift?" Eliza questions, gaze lighting up even more, thoughts immediately side tracked. "What is it? Where did it come from?"_

 _Kol chuckles at his mate's eagerness, leaning in to kiss her nose softly._

 _"Didn't anyone tell you that patience is a virtue?" Kol whispers, pulling the small package out of his coat pocket to hand to his mate. "But, I won't have you wait long, my lady. Beautiful women shouldn't have to wait after all."_

 _Eliza took no time in opening the carefully wrapped package._

 _"Oh!" Eliza gasps, nearly dropping the small clam shell she held in her hand which, once open held something infinitely more valuable inside, the stone shimmering in the sunlight. "It's **beautiful** , Kol! I love it! I love it so much! Thank you!"_

 _"Then it fits you perfectly, my lady. A rare jewel, for **my** rare jewel." Kol presses a tender kiss to the back of his mate's neck as he finishes clasping the gem around her neck._

 _"You are so romantic, Kol." Eliza giggles, tilting her head up to look at Kol, expression gleaming in the summer light._

 _"Only for you, my sweet Eliza." Kol offers back, smiling._

"I do. We have some… _Insurance_ , so to speak. To ensure their _compliance_." Elijah says, wincing a little at how that sounds.

"You've kidnapped someone or threatened them, haven't you?" Eliza nearly deadpans.

"Yes." Elijah answers honestly, expecting Eliza to shy away from him and his brothers now, or at the very least hop back in her car and leave.

"Well, I can't say that doesn't work as a good motivator…" Eliza snorts. "So. Game plan?" At that she claps her hands once as if to refocus the situation.

"Go in and snap our mother's neck? Be badass? What else is there to it?" Kol asks, throwing his arm around Eliza, all to his older brothers' displeasure, Kol simply smirking at them like the cat that got both the canary _and_ the cream.

"That's _literally_ the _worst_ idea I've ever heard…" Eliza answers.

Kol squawks a little offended while Finn tilts his lips up in the barest hint of a smirk, and both Niklaus and Elijah chuckling a little at Eliza's fearless sass; after all, not many would have the confidence to challenge an Original in any form or aspect.

"I mean, your mother is a _witch_. The **_Original Witch_**. You don't think she might _expect_ you guys to try and stop her? You probably won't even be able to reach her _to_ snap her neck. At least not until her magic is dealt with." Eliza points out logically.

"And how do you suggest we go about that?" Niklaus asks, looking a bit irked; perhaps because of the fact he hadn't thought about that himself, or for the fact his mother would get the best of them even as indestructible as they were, particularly himself as the Original Hybrid.

"Oh, I think I can think of a few ways…" Eliza answers, a secretive smile and look passed between her, Lucas, and Olivia.

The Mikaelson brothers, along with Eliza, Lucas, and Olivia, trekked through the backwoods of Mystic Falls, heading towards the old witches' house where the Salvatore brothers had assured Elijah the Original Witch was.

"Someone's coming, I think." Bonnie whispers, believing that she has heard a snap or rustle in the far off distant woods, and overall feeling abnormally uneasy and anxious as the night falls.

"No, it's too soon, the moon is not high enough. Go! Quickly!" Esther shoos both Bennett witches, still finishing up the pentagram.

"My sons, come forward." Esther beckons now, voice almost pleasant as she turns to face her sons.

The Mikaelson men were fanned out slightly in an arc, close enough to present a united front, but far enough apart to appear intimidating; Eliza was stationed firmly in the center, between Elijah and Niklaus, Finn to Elijah's right, and Kol to Niklaus' left. Lucas and Olivia had stayed back, hidden in the shadows of the rapidly rising moon and growing dusk.

"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children will be an atrocity." Elijah speaks after a moment of silence.

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago." Esther answers.

To that, Kol growls, baring his teeth, stepping forward towards the pentagram, only to have flames flare up high, driving him back quickly.

"Enough. All this talk is boring me. End this now, mother, or I'll send you back to Hell." Niklaus hisses, eyes tinting gold in annoyance.

"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you. Felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood. Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you. You're a curse on this Earth. Stretched out over generations. If you've come to plead for your life, I'm sorry, you've wasted your time." Esther shakes her head, as if she had a right to be disappointed in them.

"And I've heard enough of your _bullshit_ too. Because that's _clearly_ **_all_** it is…" Eliza finally speaks, stepping forward slightly in front of the line the Mikaelson brothers have created. "First of all… What mother wants to kill their children? And second… All you want is absolution for _yourself_ … Well, find a church, **_bitch_**."

Esther looks downright affronted and offended at Eliza's bold words, looking down at her as if she herself was some self-important, superior being; no doubt believing Eliza was a simple human which would be inferior to her Original Witch status.

"No!" Esther suddenly looks frantic, as if feeling a change in the atmosphere.

"Hmm… Something wrong Original _Bitch_ \- I mean _Original Witch?_ " Eliza raises an innocent eyebrow, shifting her weight to one side to tap her foot on the ground, lips pulling into an even more innocent smile that tells of anything _but_ innocence.

"What- **_no_**. _Sisters!_ Do not abandon me!" Esther looks even more frantic, turning around in the pentagram she had made, the flames falling.

"What have you done!?" Esther demands, feeling the spirits recede.

"What have _I_ done?" Eliza grins, the waning flames flickering and reflecting in her eyes giving her a mischievous look. "Oh no… It's what _they_ have done…"

At that, wind kicks up, ruffling Eliza's hair, twirling the fallen leaves and twigs on the forest floor, Olivia and Lucas stepping out from the shadows of the clearing, both taking defensive spots on either side of Eliza, arms raised.

"Hello Esther Mikaelson. _We're the Gemini twins_."


	12. All My Children (Part Five)

No One's POV

"Hello Esther Mikaelson. _We're the Gemini twins_." Lucas and Olivia chime in unison, their gaze and hands unwavering in front of them, stances defensive.

"Now… Make your _move_ , Original Witch." Eliza challenges, arms crossing in front of her, chin raised slightly, unflinching in the face of one of the most powerful witches of the earliest century.

Esther stared back at the trio before her, a mixture of emotions on her face that alluded to nothing, before she suddenly reacted; a step back, a hand raised as if to cast a spell, and a mumbled few words.

But Esther, despite being the Original Witch, was no match for the power of the two Gemini siblings (after all, they had been training since they were toddlers), their power of telekinesis blasting forward in a rush of wind, slamming Esther backwards, knocking her out instantaneously.

"The Original Witch is of no threat now. Magically at least." Olivia offers, glancing to the Mikaelson brothers, hand lowering only a fraction, not trusting that the remaining Originals would not turn on her, her brother, or her best friend Eliza.

" **What are you?** _Who are you?_ " Niklaus asks demandingly, looking suspiciously at the twins.

"I don't think that's the most important question to be asking right now. Your mother is still alive. Knocked out, but alive. So dealing with her is more important than any questions you may have." Eliza butts into the conversation. "Besides, Liv and Luke just did you guys all favor by handling and subduing her magic. So I think _threatening_ them would be a really horrible way of saying _thank you_."

"Eliza is correct. They have helped us. And Esther is still a threat. We must decide what to do." Elijah steps in to alleviate tension. "Thank you, Miss Parker, Mister Parker."

Olivia and Lucas nod tensely at the second oldest Original, not daring to drop their defensive postures just in case things turn.

"Kill the bitch for all I care. Honestly, she was dead once. What's a second time?" Kol offers his opinion a bit offhandedly. "Besides, if she's alive she'll probably just keep trying to kill us."

"For once I find myself agreeing with you, Kol." Niklaus agrees, stalking a little around the clearing, his inner beast clearly agitated. "Elijah? Finn? Your thoughts?"

"As much as it seems… A horrible thought… That perhaps, is the only option…" Elijah finally weighs in after a few moments of tense, weighted silence, looking all too saddened to agree with his younger siblings at the prospect of murdering his own mother, though not a few minutes ago she was trying to do the same to her children.

"Very well." Finn finally speaks, his voice muted with a type of sorrow he could not speak out loud, head bowing and shoulders hunched in a little; despite his siblings' misconceptions of him, it wasn't because Finn had undying loyalty or love for his mother that he had remained by her side. No, rather, Finn was a simple kind of man, one who wanted love, stability, family above all, and his mother had been the strong force in his life, _all his life_ , the matriarch of the family. And after losing Eliza he had turned back to the only one who offered any support or love.

"Liv, Luke, come on." Eliza says quietly, jerking her head a little to leave the brothers to their own devices, allowing them both the privacy and also not wanting to be around for the crime so to speak.

"Finn?" She adds on softly, as an open offer to the eldest Original, figuring that out of all of them would be least likely to enjoy the bloodshed or want to be a participant.

"I shall meet you back at the mansion." Finn simply tells his siblings, disappearing into the woods with Eliza, Olivia, and Lucas without a backwards glance.

 _ **Okay... So this is completely unrelated to this story. But honestly I'm a little frustrated & need to rant... My stories The Ties That Bind & We Three Kings have both been completed for quite some time (one longer than the other). But it is obvious that people still read them, because I'm still getting reviews. Which, I'm very pleased that people love, read, & review! When it is POSITIVE or a question! I DO love questions!**_

 _ **You guys know this! I'll even be more than happy to answer them! Unless it's a plot spoiler! ;)**_

 _ **However... There are quite a few reviews that are... How shall I say this... Irritating me? They are "nit-picky" or rather, state their opinion that are of no relevance, because it WON'T CHANGE THE STORY LINE! The stories are now COMPLETED! And your negative opinion, is nothing but, irrelevant, annoying, and frankly, completely unneeded... So why even write it? Ugh... I'm sorry... I know this has nothing to do with this story... But I'm clearly annoyed... Because, for at least one of the stories, it is actually ONE particular person. And it's HELLA annoying... *rolls eyes* I mean, if you dislike the story, then why are you even reading it still? They are like half way through the book... That literally makes no sense to me...**_

 _ **I'm sorry guys for the rant...**_

 _ **Anyways, I love you guys a lot! Your encouragement always mean the world to me! I do read each & every review! Honestly, I do!**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_

 _ **P.S. This is a SUPER short chapter! Sorry-not-sorry. Because I'm cutting off/wrapping up this section to start a new one... And let me tell you, the next one... It's a drama filled one! So, buckle up & get ready!**_


	13. Revelations (Part One)

No One's POV

" _Where the bloody hell is everyone?_ " Rebekah asks, voice echoing loudly through the Mikaelson mansion as the heels of her boots click through the foyer and make their way into the living room.

"It's over, Rebekah." Elijah answers his sister instead, tone setting a finality to things, the Mikaelson brothers, Eliza, and the Gemini twins all in various areas in the living room.

Having convened in the Mikaelson mansion after disposing of the Original Witch, there was a complex atmosphere in the air; one of muted sorrow of losing the only mother they had known, yet also a vicious undertone that told of the ferociousness, violence, and brutality the Originals held within them, and finally, a spark of cautious interest towards the incarnation of their long lost mate and the powerful Gemini twins.

"Where's mother?" Rebekah asks, not completely understanding.

"We have no mother. Only Esther, and Esther was right." Elijah begins to brood, starring off out the French doors to the backyard of the Mikaelson estate.

"What do you mean?"

"My talk of virtue. When it suits my needs, I kill, maim, and torment. Even today, I terrorized an innocent." Elijah answers, shoulders looking as if they held the weight of the world and untold regrets he held.

"Elena is hardly innocent." Rebekah argues.

"And I used your hatred of her to get what I wanted. Wielded you like I would a _sword_. My sister." Elijah sighs, turning to look at Rebekah, eyes guilty.

"You did it to protect us, Elijah, and rightly so! We deserve to live! We are better than they are."

"Are we? Mother made us vampires. She didn't make us monsters, we did that to ourselves." Elijah answers rhetorically.

"We're talking about Elena Gilbert, right? The doppelganger?" Eliza interrupts. "Who happens to be my brother's ex-wife's daughter? Yeah, well, I'm not saying that Elena deserves to be maimed and killed… No one does. But I mean, I _would_ agree she's a self-centered, whiny, _brat_."

"As for being monsters, maybe you've all made some _debatable_ choices in your centuries of living… Perhaps, that's an understatement… But, I mean, haven't we all? Made bad choices, I mean… You've just had more time… _Centuries_. That doesn't make you monsters. Vampires with some serious temper and family issues, _hell yes_." Eliza continues, pointing out the lack of logic in Elijah's own reasoning.

"Seriously, your mother is a self-righteous, _bitch_ , who wanted redemption for her sins, and then blamed _you_ all for her own faults and issues. But are you going to let her, even in death, cast a shadow on the rest of your lives? Which, for you, happens to be eternity? That sounds like _shit_. Also, that's her _winning_. Don't let her do that." Eliza shakes her head, at this point all the Originals turning their gaze onto her.

"Who the _bloody hell_ are you?" Rebekah asks, looking a mixture of dumbfounded and offended that someone had the audacity to speak to her and her siblings like that.

"Eliza Saltzman, Alaric's younger sibling." Eliza promptly answers.

" _Wait…_ " Rebekah narrows her eyes, suddenly flashing in front of Eliza where she sits on the couch next to Lucas, Olivia leaning against the armrest of the couch, making the Gemini siblings tense instinctively at the sudden movement. "I _know_ you… I've _seen_ you before…"

"What?" Eliza questions. "No…"

"No- I do! I recognize you." Rebekah insists, her head tilting slightly as if recalling something, a memory of a sketch, then a journal, and a lost picture flashing in her mind. "I've seen you in Nik's… _You can't possibly be_ -" Her voice tappers off slightly.

" _Bekah_ …" Niklaus warns, stepping forward now from where he had been pacing in front of the fireplace, a drink in hand.

"You are? Aren't you?" Rebekah asks, voice quiet, gaze almost lighting up as pieces fall together in her mind.

"I don't- what?" Eliza questions, expression confused. "I really think you have me confused with someone else, Rebekah…"

"Bekah…" Elijah warns, now choosing to step into the situation, lest his younger sister decides to annoy his other younger siblings.

Rebekah chooses that moment to flash off, a swinging of doors slamming open through the Mikaelson mansion.

" ** _REBEKAH!_** " Niklaus nearly roars, taking off after his sister, not wanting her to rummage around in his private things.

"What- what's happening?" Eliza asks, rising from her place on the couch, Lucas and Olivia instinctively rising with Eliza, taking their accustom places next to her.

" _I was right!_ " Rebekah crows triumphantly, abruptly appearing downstairs again in front of Eliza, unconcerned with Olivia or Lucas, several things in her hand.

"What?" Eliza blinks, staring uncomprehendingly at the female Original.

"You _are_ her." Rebekah breathes, nearly shoving several things into Eliza's hands. "That's how I know you… My brothers mourned you. And Finn, he used to talk about someone. Someone he _lost_. In the early centuries, he always was sneaking off to go meet a woman. We never met her, but then… Then he just, stopped… But I bet, you're _her_ …"

Looking down, Eliza gently traces sketch lines of an image that is the spitting image of herself, _Eliza Dupont, 1880_ , before turning to roam over the open journal page which clearly reminisces of a time lost with a woman, _Eliza Carter, 1920_ , and finally, staring at a picture which looks as if it has been carried in a pocket or held a million times, worn around the edges and faded, _Eliza Bolivar, 1700_.

" _You're her_." Rebekah repeats, her voice seemingly awed at the revelations of her brothers finding their long lost mate after years of mourning her, Eliza looking up again. "You're my brothers' mate. _All of them_."

 _ **Thank you all for your lovely reviews... I hope I didn't come off as whiny in my last note. Apparently I've just had it up to my eyeballs with negative reviews. Usually I'm much better at letting them "roll off my back" so to speak. I apologize guys!**_

 _ **Okay, so here's to answering all your lovely questions.**_

 _ **1\. I am so glad you guys love my portrayal of Kol & Finn! I do try to keep them in canon. However, the TVD & TO writers honestly don't give us much to work with I don't feel... Okay, TO is better... But they kind of give us the anti-heros/villains for Kol & Finn, and honestly I don't feel they give them justice as characters. They could be SO much better! They are SOOO under appreciated! And I try my best to appreciate them! They are my little cinnamon rolls... Haha!**_

 _ **So, yes, I will have Kol & Finn have more center roles... But we're still leading up to that (all of the Mikaelson men really). I hope that answers questions.**_

 _ **2\. At this point I am unsure if Eliza will get pregnant... All depends on my lovely little plot bunnies. *pets them***_

 _ **3\. Uhhh... I think I've answered all the questions I can without giving away anything important to my story line... As I've said, I LOVE questions! So feel free to shoot me a line! (:**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_


	14. Revelations (Part Two)

No One's POV

" _You're her_." Rebekah repeats, her voice seemingly awed at the revelations of her brothers finding their long lost mate after years of mourning her, Eliza looking up again. "You're my brothers' mate. _All of them_."

Eliza stood a little frozen at the words Rebekah Mikaelson said, the Mikaelson brothers all watching the incarnation of their mate carefully for her reaction at the sudden shock that was dropped on her; instead, however, Lucas and Olivia took action, having already been wary of the Originals.

" _Liza_." Lucas places a hand on his best friend's arm, shaking Eliza gently, as if to shake her out of her shocked stupor.

"Eliza, _love_." Niklaus says calmly, at the same time Lucas does, weighing his words and taking a step forward. Niklaus hoping that he could talk and clear the air and figure out the mystery and complex puzzle that was Eliza Saltzman, the spitting image of his _Eliza Dupont_.

"No, you don't get to talk right now." Lucas snaps a little at the Original Hybrid, uncaring if it may be a reckless move, his eyes flashing towards Niklaus, his hand still on Eliza's shoulder, and one hand now slightly raising in defense.

"Hmm? Yes- what?" Eliza snaps a little out of her daze, to answer her best friend, the things in her hands by now falling out of her grasp and fluttering to the floor uselessly.

"I think we should go. We _need_ to go." Lucas mutters lightly, head turning towards Eliza's ear, not that the Originals couldn't hear what was being said with their superior vampire hearing.

" _Leave?_ " Kol now interrupts, gaze sharply turning to the youngest Gemini twin. " _Why?_ "

"I don't think that's really any of your business." Olivia offers, arms crossed in front of her.

" _She's my mate_." Kol growls, a barely concealed glare on his face. " _Of_ _course_ it's my business."

" ** _Kol_**." Elijah rebukes, disliking the situation about as much as Kol was vocally disliking it; he not wanting Eliza to leave and wanting answers, but clearly this was _not_ the answer.

"No, she's not." Lucas shakes his head, correcting the youngest Mikaelson brother. "You _think_ she is."

"I _know_ she is. I would think I would know my **_own_** mate better than you." Kol all but bares his teeth at the youngest Gemini twin, feeling his inner animal precariously out of control.

"No, I'm not. I- I don't know you." Eliza shakes her head, gaze returning somewhat absentmindedly to the things left on the ground.

"But-" Kol looks a little lost at that, like the wind had left him all at once.

"Eliza-" Niklaus begins, gaze searching for something he would not find, no glimmer of recognition. "You know us. You _must_. You _have_ too."

"She doesn't have to. She just said she doesn't." Lucas says firmly, his grip holding Eliza by the elbow to steer her out and guide her in case one of the Originals were to move. " _Liza_." Lucas mutters again a little quieter, more urgently.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go." Eliza agrees, her mind still whirling.

"Wait-" Kol grasps at straws, not really understanding what was happening; only understanding that he was watching as _his mate_ , Eliza (he knew in his mind, in his heart, and in his very soul, that this _was_ **his mate** ), _leave_.

"I wouldn't try that, Kol Mikaelson. Do **_not_** prevent us from leaving." Lucas warns, his voice turning steel cold, so drastic from the easy going tone he had normally, his hand immediately thrusting out in front of him defensively, ready to shield Eliza and his sister as they retreated.

" _Kol_." Elijah immediately recalls his youngest brother, perhaps even both younger brothers, going by Niklaus' action.

"Surely we can talk about this… Like civilized people…" Niklaus comments, setting his drink down to walk forward towards the retreating trio of the Gemini twins and Eliza, his eyes appraising and calculating, but also holding a sadness that he would not speak out loud or admit to. "Certainly there is no need to… Leave? Now, is there?"

"And, as I _said_ …" Lucas turns fully now to face the Mikaelsons, back towards the entrance of the Mikaelson manor, squaring himself like a solider for battle, both hands outstretched and coming up to chest level in a defensive position. "Do **_not_** prevent us from leaving. We owe you _nothing_."

Wind and power suddenly shatters the windows of the Mikaelson mansion at Lucas' words, sweeping through the estate like the North winds, slamming the Mikaelsons into the ground, forcing them down, and temporarily subduing them.

"Will Luke be okay?" Eliza worries, now sitting in the front passenger seat of the Camry, Olivia taking position in the driver's seat.

Hearing the blast of wind and Lucas' powers sweep through the Mikaelson manor, windows shattering loudly, the entire mansion practically shaking from the foundation up, Olivia looks forward through the front of the car window, having been backing up the car.

"I think he'll be fine." Olivia comments unconcerned, nodding slightly to the now destroyed mansion.

"Okay… Drive. Let's get out of here." Lucas jumps into the back seat of the car, panting slightly.

"Thank you, Luke." Eliza says quietly, reaching a hand back to squeeze his knee.

" _Always_." Lucas answers, hand squeezing hers back. "Now let's get back _home_. To _Portland_."

 _ **Clap your hands if you're in love with the Gemini twins! *clap clap* Haha! They are so badass I could cry...**_

 _ **Honestly, I wish TVD had given them a better role... Ugh, why TVD!? *cries***_

 _ **Also, I'm sorry this is so short... I really did want to try & make it longer! But this is how my section came out... I promise I have a plan, ya'll! It's on purpose!**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_


	15. Arguments

No One's POV

Elijah was the first to snap into consciousness, the ground beneath him blurring together in a sudden rush and flash of color and shapes below him; broken glass, loose debris, and bits of plaster from the walls crumbling together in a mess as he lifted himself up onto his feet.

"What- the- bloody hell- _happened?_ " Rebekah mutters a bit groggily, clearly confused at the chaos that reigned in the living room of the Mikaelson estate, loosely brushing hair out of her face and looking around.

" _You_." Niklaus snarls, eyes flashing gold, was all the warning Rebekah got before she was suddenly slammed into the far wall of the living room, Niklaus' hand wrapped around her throat. " _This is all **your** fault!_"

" _Niklaus!_ " Elijah demands, voice harsh with rebuke and disapproval, but not actually moving to intervene. "Let Rebekah go this _instant!_ "

" _She did this!_ She's _responsible_ for this! She **_drove_** Eliza away!" Niklaus growls insistently.

"I agree!" Kol hisses, glaring daggers at his sister, veins appearing briefly. "If you hadn't stuck your pathetic nose into things, maybe my Eliza would still be here!"

" ** _Your_** , Eliza!" Niklaus growls indignant, turning his glare onto his younger brother, grip not loosening on his sister.

" ** _ENOUGH_** , Kol, Niklaus." Elijah tries to alleviate the growing tension between his three younger siblings, knowing it would just lead to an all-out brawl, destroying the mansion further. "It is **_not_** our sister's fault… Perhaps if you and Kol hadn't try to _force_ the issue…"

Elijah was irritated at his younger siblings, **_all of them_** needless to say, but for all _different_ reasons; Rebekah, yes for revealing things that weren't hers to reveal, but also Niklaus and Kol for pushing the issue, perhaps Eliza _wouldn't_ have run out like a bat out of hell, completely eliminating his chances to get to know her on his _own_ terms.

"I- I'm- _sorry_ , Nik! Kol!" Rebekah scrambles, pushing against her brother's hold, eyes actually managing to look apologetic for once in her life. "I- I didn't think she'd _leave!_ "

"Rebekah apologizes, Klaus." Elijah answers. "Now let our sister **_go_**."

" _This is your fault_." Niklaus hisses, eyes still tinted with gold, but relenting, dropping his sister from the wall. "But I won't **_forget_**." At that he takes a broken leg from the coffee table and throws it at his sister, the aim dead on, the makeshift stake wedging directly into her shoulder.

" ** _Niklaus_**." Elijah frowns disapprovingly at his brother's temper tantrum.

"I'm in no mood for your boring, moral lectures, Elijah." Niklaus hisses, glaring at his brothers as he stalks by. "Next time, leave things well enough _alone_." Niklaus adds with a meaningful threat, heading to his painting room.

"What Nik said, Bekah." Kol hisses, glowering at his sister, rummaging through the debris to pick up his picture, brushing it off carefully, almost tenderly before retreating to his room upstairs.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asks, pulling the stake out from Rebekah's shoulder.

"Fine. Are you mad at me too, Elijah?"

"I am… Not pleased. It was not your secret to tell, Rebekah." Elijah sighs.

"I _am_ sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen…" Rebekah answers, voice small, clearly truly apologetic.

"Just give them time. They will forgive you." At that, Elijah too retreats to his study, to see what had been left intact from the youngest Gemini sibling's defensive attack on the mansion.

" _Eliza!_ " Alaric greets, his younger sibling coming into the apartment with Lucas and Olivia.

"Hey 'Laric!" Eliza smiles, bounding into her brother's arms for a hug.

"So… I heard an interesting story this evening…" Alaric begins, Eliza sitting down on the barstool as Alaric offers her a cup of tea.

"Oh, really? You don't say… And does this story happen to come from say… Elena, or one of the Scooby gang members?" Eliza asks innocently, sipping on her tea, Lucas and Olivia wandering off into the apartment to begin arrangements to leave.

"Possibly." Alaric admits, sitting on the other barstool.

"Interesting." Eliza hums.

"Elena got herself mixed up with the Originals. You don't happen to know anything about that, do you?" Alaric asks.

"Better yet… I'll ask _you_ , why you were mixing _yourself_ up with the Originals, Eliza!? They're _dangerous_. And you should know better than that." Alaric raises his voice slightly, tone almost a little hysterical at the thought of his sister in any proximity to the Mikaelsons.

"Well, first of all, I'd have to say, your surrogate daughter is a _moron_ …" Eliza deadpans.

" _Liza_." Alaric says disapprovingly, while he did realize that Elena did get mixed up with a lot of supernatural things that she could possibly avoid, and did make some questionable decisions, he still felt a responsibility towards her.

"No. I'm serious, 'Laric. I get that you feel responsible for her, care for her. But, I'm _serious_. She allied herself with the **_Original Witch_**. The Original Witch wanted to _kill_ her children. The Originals may make some questionable life choices… But I'm sorry, do they deserve to be _murdered?_ Not only that, but killing the Originals will kill off the entire vampire species. Now, is Elena just that stupid and ignorant? Or was she going to do that anyways?" Eliza begins.

"And if you _think_ that is _reasonable_ … Is your life really so **wrapped up** in _saving_ Elena that you will sacrifice everything to protect her? No matter who you steam roll? No matter who _else_ you sacrifice? If so, then I really don't know you at all. Then you've changed and aren't the brother I knew before. We _both_ know the sacrifices that life can ask for. How _unfair_ it can be. And I would not ask for anyone to pay those cost for me. I would not play _innocent_ and _naïve_ while then sacrificing _lives_ and putting others in _danger_. The life of one is **_not_** more important than the life of many." Eliza continues, getting upset.

"Okay, okay… _Slow down_ … No… No, I _don't_ think that. And I _didn't_ know that." Alaric calms his sister down.

"I'm not finished!" Eliza cuts Alaric off, still obviously upset at Alaric's words. "And _second_ of all, I'm not an _idiot_ … I **know** they're dangerous. But Luke and Liv were with me the entire time. They would never let any harm come to me and you _know_ it. Okay, maybe it was a slightly bad, reckless decision. I know this. But the Original Witch needed to be stopped. I figured, at least this time, it would be worth the risk. And Luke and Liv could handle it. So, _yeah_. Sue me for trying to be a good person! Unlike Elena, who cares about _herself_ , and her own stupid _vendetta!_ "

"Okay, okay. Alright. _I understand_." Alaric says quietly. "I'm sorry for assuming things. Yeah, it was a reckless decision. But, I understand. I don't think that by the way. How could you think, I would _ever_ think that?"

"I'm sorry too." Eliza apologizes, huffing out of breathe from her little rant. "It upsets me, you know? I don't think Elena realizes how much you do for you. I'm sorry."

"I know you are. I know you care. I love you, 'Liza."

"I love you too, 'Laric." Eliza leans into her brother's comforting embrace.

"We're leaving tonight. The Originals know me…" Eliza reveals after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"What?" Alaric asks, instantly concerned and alarmed. "Wait… What-? They _know?_ Or they- wait-"

"Rebekah… She showed me sketches, a picture, a journal. All of me, _decades_ ago. I don't know if they know _what_ I am, but they knew me _before_. We have to leave."

"I should return then. With you."

"No, stay. You have a life here." Eliza shakes her head.

"You're my sister. It's my _job_ to protect you. It's my vow." Alaric protests.

"Maybe. But it's also the Gemini's vow now too. I'll be okay. Besides, it may look a little suspicious if you leave now too. You can return later." Eliza shrugs.

"A few weeks. Just until I can turn in my resignation. Get things wrapped up here."

"Deal." Eliza nods, shifting her head up to look at her older brother.


	16. Gone

No One's POV

Their mother was dead, not that she had been much of a mother to begin with, but she had been the only tie, the only anchor, to a world so vastly different than the world he had been laid to rest in, and his siblings, while they may not outright despise him, certainly did not _like_ him or _trust_ him.

And now, his mate, or the doppelganger or incarnation, of his mate was gone, chased away by his youngest sibling. She would have been his redemption, his saving grace, his light, in a time and world that he so desperately needed it; just as she always had been.

 _11 Century A.D._

 _"Finn, where are we going?" Eliza asks, allowing the eldest Original to lead her through the ups and downs, and a winding path through the forest that lie between his village and hers._

 _"We are almost there, my sweet love. I promise." Finn vows, her hand securely in his and his other holding her picnic basket._

 _"Not even a hint?" Eliza wonders._

 _"Do you not trust me, my love?" Finn teases, looking back at his mate, his expression dancing playfully._

 _"Of course I trust you, Finn!" Eliza giggles, her hand squeezing his lightly. "I will **always** trust you."_

 _"Then trust me now. You will like the surprise."_

 _"Fine." Eliza huffs impatiently, however, her eyes portraying her own playfulness and youthful innocence and joy._

 _"And, here we are, my darling Eliza." Finn offers, guiding her to a grassy meadow, just resting on a small hill, the small valley it created having a small stream in it, perfect for washing clothes or gathering water, tasks that one would need for a future household, one he hoped to create with his mate._

 _"It's beautiful. How did you find it Finn?"_

 _"I was hunting. I followed a wounded buck that I had managed to hit in the shoulder. This place is abundant with wildlife. The stream is clean. The land is unclaimed. I was hoping… We have always talked… Discussed building a home, a life together… That perhaps, we could start one here… Together… If you'd like…" Finn trails off, voice filled with uncertainty; they had talked about it before, but perhaps now, presented with it, she would deny him._

 _"Oh!" Eliza gasps, looking around her again, completely taking in the sight before her._

 _"I know that there are things still, which prevent us. But **soon** , Eliza. **I promise**. Soon. And then, if you'd like. We can start a life together, here. As husband and wife." Finn rambles out._

 _"Finn, I would love nothing more." Eliza throws her arms around Finn, tears glistening in her eyes._

Clenching his fist at the lost memory, the ever present ache in his chest, Finn shakes off the thoughts, looking up at the modest apartment building before him, taking only a moment to doubt himself before pressing forward with perhaps the most reckless plan he had since waking up in this new century.

"Hello Mr. Saltzman… I am Finn Mikaelson. Is Eliza home?" Finn inquires politely, stepping back a step as soon as the door opens after his polite knock.

"And why should I tell you that? She's my sister. And I want her as far away from you and your family as _possible_." Alaric immediately asks, hand coming to rest on the doorjamb, so his arm rests across the opening, sufficiently blocking the doorjamb; not that Finn could enter until he was invited inside, and not that as a vampire Alaric could really prevent him from entering once he was invited.

" _Please_. I just wanted to apologize, for my siblings. And speak with your sister. If I may. _Explain_ things. If I could." Finn offers.

Alaric evaluates the eldest Original seriously for a moment, as if contemplating his sincerity.

"Please, just a _moment_. That's all I need." Finn all but pleads, feeling the century's old, worn bracelet burning a hole in his pocket.

"She's not here. She's gone. _Long gone_. And I'm not telling you where she's gone to, just so you can track her down." Alaric finally answers, turning away from the door. "Good night, Finn."

Finn disappeared from Alaric's apartment and into the night a moment later, not noticing Elijah's BMW also idling in the street by Alaric's apartment, having listened to his older brother's conversation with the eldest Saltzman.

"I'd thought you'd be gone by now. Elijah's leaving. Finn has already left, he's upset about Eliza and mother. Kol's doing… Something…" Niklaus comments idly, brooding on the couch, drink in hand, the Mikaelson mansion still half chaos from Lucas' powers.

"I _am_ sorry…" Rebekah says, walking into the living room, then pausing before speaking further. "You know, I hated you when I learned you killed our mother. But I realize now that after a thousand years together as a family, you're the only one who never left me."

"Well, aren't we a pair." Niklaus comments dryly.

"There's something I need you to see." Rebekah replies after another moment, pulling out her phone.

"Come to brag about your skills as a torturer?" Niklaus snarks, not in the mood for his sister's prattling, but taking the phone anyways.

"Look at the images on the wall behind Elena. The Natives told the story of our family history, look at the images on the far wall." Rebekah ignores her brother's dig.

"What is it?"

"A Native worshipping at the Great White Oak tree."

"And? We burned that tree to the ground." Niklaus sighs, still sore about Rebekah driving away Eliza, but less likely to stake her with a dagger.

"Look at the markings that precede it. That's the Native calendar."

"This can't be right." Niklaus takes a look at it again, rewinding the video.

"A White Oak tree, three hundred years after we fled back to the Old World. There must have been a sapling, a new tree to replace the old. That tree could kill us. It's not over, Nik."


	17. Pursued (Part One)

No One's POV

The Gemini twins and Eliza were back in Portland, Oregon, and had been for a week, their lives slipping back into their normal daily lives of school and work; college for the twins and work for Eliza, since she had graduated already.

"Alright, so to make a latte, first you need to froth the milk using the steam nozzle..." Eliza instructs patiently, handing one of her trainees the cup with the correct 16 oz. of milk in it. "This has the correct amount of milk in it, you try it."

"Okay, thanks Eliza."

"Of course, it's a learning experience." Eliza nods. "It takes time, there are a lot of drinks. And trust me, I've only messed up a few millions of times when I first started."

"Hi, welcome to Starbucks!" A chime of another one of her employees rings out, the door swinging open, and muted footsteps of dress shoes is heard on the tile, Eliza thinking nothing of it.

"We'll be right with you, sir." Eliza automatically answers, not looking up, too preoccupied with helping her new employee; she was the manager after all.

"That's alright. I can wait. And thank you." An all too familiar voice answers, stopping Eliza in her tracks.

" _Elijah_." Eliza whispers, eyes widening slighting, her head shooting up.

"Hello Eliza." Elijah speaks, voice calm and unwavering as he meets his mate's now startled gaze; he had spent a significant amount of resources to find his mate after leaving Mystic Falls and his family, having his connections, both vampire and witch alike, to find her. He wasn't about to leave, to flee now, not when she was so close, just within his grasp.

"May we talk?"

"I- I ummm…" Eliza looks around at everyone blissfully going about their day.

"I promise, I mean no harm. I simply wish to talk." Elijah offers, his hands folded behind his back politely. " _Please_."

"I, okay… I guess…" Eliza waivers. "Someone take over training for a moment… I need to speak with someone…"

"Everything okay?" Alex asks, one of her other employees walks by to do as Eliza requests.

"Yeah, fine. A- friend." Eliza hesitates, moving from behind the counter.

"So… You found me… Am I to expect _all_ the other Mikaelsons to show up here in Portland?" Eliza asks, now just outside the window paned doors of the Starbucks, feeling uncomfortable and off kilter, her phone gripped inside the pocket of her Starbucks jacket.

"No. Niklaus is back in Mystic Falls with my sister. I do not know where Kol and Finn are at the moment. I came to find you Eliza." Elijah answers honestly, keeping space between his mate and himself, even though he yearned to close the distance between them, yearned to hold her close and wrap himself around her, to promise her the world.

" _Why?_ " Eliza questions before she can stop herself.

"My sister was correct Eliza… Of course, my brothers and I didn't know that, realize it, at the time. That we all knew you, that you were one in the same to us. But, nevertheless, it doesn't matter." Elijah struggles with what exactly he was trying to say, for all the centuries he had been alive, facing the doppelganger or incarnation of his mate, his words failed him, he was at a complete loss.

"I really have no idea what you are trying to say, Elijah." Eliza frowns, starring off absentmindedly into the distance.

"I know you don't." Elijah sighs, frustrated with himself.

"Then perhaps we don't need to speak anymore." Eliza tries to extract herself from the conversation.

"No, _please_ , Eliza." Elijah steps forward as if to stop her, arm slightly reaching; he _would_ **beg** at this point.

"Eliza! Hey!" Olivia jogs up, slightly panting as if she had run the entire way over to Starbucks; she had, having gotten Eliza's emergency text while on campus and practically bolted from halfway across campus.

"Is everything okay?" Olivia asks, giving Elijah an appraising look.

"Miss Parker." Elijah greets, immediately stepping back from Eliza, hand dropping, not wanting to make a scene.

" _Elijah_." Olivia greets coolly.

"Yes, I was just in town. I thought I'd say hello to Eliza." Elijah answers.

"Well, hello. And goodbye." Olivia promptly answers, siding up to her best friend, while she may not be as strong as her brother Lucas, she certainly was powerful enough to take on _one_ Original.

"Yes, goodbye, Eliza. It was nice chatting with you." Elijah bids goodbye, sensing it was time for him to make a swift exit. "Have a good day."

"What was that about?" Olivia questions, turning on her best friend.

"I don't know. And thanks for coming so quickly." Eliza shrugs.

"Of course. Luke is going to be annoyed he didn't get here first." Olivia laughs.

"Because he didn't get to sass and scare off an Original?" Eliza giggles back.

" _Obviously_." Olivia answers.

"Well, come on. I'll make you a drink. How was class?"

"It was fine." Olivia shrugs, following Eliza into Starbucks, both unaware that Elijah's eyes tracked them still; he would have to try another time, and something different, never let it be known that Elijah Mikaelson wasn't persistent and determined. And the enigma and mystery that was Eliza Saltzman was something he wanted, _desperately_.


	18. Pursued (Part Two)

No One's POV

Elijah stood, almost _fidgeting_ on his feet, a word that would never previously be put with the normally, formal, polite, put together, Original.

Yet, standing in front of the door of his mate's small house, roses in hand, Elijah felt more nervous than the first time he had walked up to _Eliza Carter's_ estate to call on her or ask her father for her hand in marriage.

 _1920s, Chicago_

 _Despite the many times Elijah had been to the Carter estate, the sprawling country mansion now loomed in front of Elijah more imposing than ever._

 _"Hello Mr. Mikaelson, good afternoon." Mr. Jarvis answers Elijah's knock._

 _"Hell Mr. Jarvis. Good afternoon." Elijah answers his suit feeling far too stuffy and tight, particularly around his neck._

 _"Young Ms. Carter is out right now, I'm afraid to inform you."_

 _"Yes, yes, I know Mr. Jarvis. I've actually come to speak with Mr. Carter. Is he available?" Elijah asks._

 _"Oh, yes, he is in his study. Do come in." Mr. Jarvis waves in. "May I take your jacket?"_

 _"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis." Elijah thanks, shedding his outer coat and then following the head butler to Eliza's father's study._

 _"Mr. Cater, Elijah Mikaelson is here to speak with you." Mr. Jarvis knocks._

 _"Oh, thank you Mr. Jarvis. Hello Mr. Mikaelson, please, come in."_

 _"Mr. Carter, thank you. And call me Elijah."_

 _"Anthony, please." Mr. Carter waves off. "Now, what would you like to speak to me about, Elijah?"_

 _"Yes, well…" Elijah clears his throat a bit unnecessarily. "As you know, sir, I- I care a great deal for Eliza… I love her, deeply. She is everything to me. And- with your permission, and of course, if she allows it, I would like to marry her, sir…"_

 _A moment of silence sat between Elijah and Anthony, Eliza's father, before he finally spoke._

 _"And what makes you so sure you are the right man for her, Mr. Mikaelson?" Mr. Carter questions, formally addressing his daughter's suitor again. "My daughter is my most cherished thing to me, besides my wife. And she has been, and is sought after by many young men. Many older men even… There could be others I could say yes to if I were so inclined."_

 _"She is everything to me. I will take care of her, protect her, and give her any and everything she desires. I can provide for her. She is my world, sir." Elijah promptly answers, feeling for all the years he had been alive, as if everything was riding on this one moment._

 _"I give you my permission to marry my daughter Elijah." Anthony finally answers. "Now, come. Let us have a drink… To celebrate the impending engagement of you and my daughter."_

" _Elijah_." Eliza breathes, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the Original at her doorway.

"Hello Eliza." Elijah bids a polite hello.

"I'm not letting you in." Eliza answers immediately, taking a small step back from the door just in case he took a swipe at her, not that she thought he would, he was too honorable to do so.

"No, I- I didn't expect you to anyhow. These- these are for you." Elijah offers, gently presenting the roses to his mate as a peace offering; he felt more nervous than a high school boy picking up his prom date, this was ridiculous, absolutely preposterous, he mentally shook off his thoughts.

"Oh… Thank you…" Eliza blinks, unsure why he was giving them to her. "They are very beautiful. Let me- let me go put these in water… Just a second."

"Of course." Elijah replies, waiting patiently on her front porch.

"Okay… So, why are you here?" Eliza almost sighs, but manages to hold it back, feeling a bit awkward standing at her door, but really didn't trust even the Moral Original to let him in; she was home alone, both Lucas and Olivia at school.

"I apologize for ambushing you at work. That was completely unbecoming of me. I only wish to talk to you, Eliza. Explain things."

"So ambushing me at _home_ is better?"

Elijah manages to look even more contrite, realizing how his slightly desperate actions may look.

"Okay, that was a bit of a low blow." Eliza sighs, a peace offer of her own; Alaric, and her parents before her, may they rest in peace, had always instilled in her the importance of protecting herself, above all, and she had been on the run most of her life. She had _finally_ found a life for herself, carved it out, with sweat, blood, and hard work. She wasn't about to let the _Originals_ ruin this for her. " _If_ I let you in… You promise not to try and take a chomp out of me?"

"I would _never_ do that, Eliza." Elijah promises, the thought of hurting his own mate a thought that sent his inner animal alight with protective instincts.

"Alright…" Eliza still feels a bit wary. "Then, come in Elijah."

"Thank you, Eliza." Elijah steps over the threshold to his mate's home, feeling the previous force give way, a small relief that felt more like a rain after a drought to him.

"Tea? Coffee? Anything? We don't have any blood bags, sorry." Eliza offers, feeling her hostess duties kick in, a slight smirk toying at her lips.

"No, I am alright, thank you though." Elijah shakes his head.

"Hmm… I'm making coffee, take a seat wherever on the couch."

"Eliza…" Elijah says, both of them now seated across from one another. "I brought this. If you'd like to look at it. It will explain, perhaps, far better than I could."

"Is this… What Rebekah showed me?"

"Yes, my own personal journal." Elijah nods.

"Alright… Thank you." Eliza takes it, fingers trailing over the well-worn, leather covered journal, sensing the importance of it.

"You're welcome." Elijah immediately answers.

"Who's Eliza Carter?" Eliza finally asks, still tracing mindless patterns across the well-worn cover of the journal, the atmosphere in the living room having descended into a slightly awkward silence, both Eliza and Elijah not knowing what to say or how to begin.

"What do you know about vampires, Eliza?" Elijah begins.

"Vampires?" Eliza echoes. "Alaric is my brother. It would be safe to say I know a fair amount." She adds on, but specifically not giving a lot away, but clearly saying she wasn't that naïve.

"Mates, specifically." Elijah clarifies.

"Mates?" Eliza questions, then shakes her head. "Then, nothing."

"Vampires have mates. Werewolves too. Understand, Eliza, when a vampire finds their mate, everything else ceases to exist. They are- everything, the center of their world. A mate completes a vampire, balances them so to speak, the other half of themselves." Elijah explains. "Think of it like a soul mate."

"Okay." Eliza nods.

"It was… The Roaring 20's." Elijah now continues, slightly switching tracks. "I was in Chicago, with Kol, both Rebekah and Niklaus in New Orleans at the time. But I met, a woman. As you could probably guess… It was Eliza Carter…"

"And we- we fell in love… She was, in short, _everything_ to me. She was my _mate_." Elijah finishes. "And she truly was the light of my existence, Eliza."

"You talk as if- as if she is no longer around. You would not have turned her? Surely if- if you were in love… And if she loved you?" Eliza asks carefully.

"I would have… We were in love… I would have told her, eventually. When the time was right. I wanted to marry her. To turn her. If she had wanted that. I would never take her choices away. But- I lost her. She- died. I never got the chance." Elijah looks down slightly at the coffee table between them, the memories almost too painful to discuss, even as Eliza Saltzman sat before him.

"I have mourned her, felt her loss for centuries… An ache that I could not fill…" Elijah says slowly. "That is… Until I met **_you_** , _Eliza Saltzman_."

At that Eliza, tenses, looking uncomfortable at Elijah's declaration, something, an unknown mirage of emotions flashing through her expression that he could not decipher.

" _Please_ …" Elijah moves to kneel before Eliza, actions slow. "I know- you are not her… But I thought I had _lost_ her. I thought she was gone from me. I do not know if- if she…" Elijah nearly snarled at his inability to string together his words, his emotions bubbling to the surface of his thinly veiled control.

"Doppelgangers exist only through bloodlines, Eliza to my knowledge had no child. And I do not know- how, or what… It is as if a ghost of my past has come back… I only wish to have the _chance_ to know _you_. And I know that my brothers also knew you in their past, but whatever comes, I only know what I feel." He finally manages to string together a somewhat coherent sentence.

"This… This is a lot… For me to- to take in, Elijah…" Eliza begins, choosing her words carefully. "A lot for _anyone_ to take in… You- you have to understand this. And if you _don't_ , then you're not the kind of man I'd want to be in _any_ kind of relationship with, or be around. And, you also have to see how your actions may be a little- _forceful_. I know you… Probably don't _mean_ it that way. But- I'm skeptical at best. And cautious and apprehensive at most."

"Yes, yes of course… I- I understand." Elijah draws back, straightening out a cuff of his suit, feeling quite abashed and chastised by his mate. "I- I apologize, Eliza. I- I did not mean to- to come across that way. That was- never my intention. I did not- not stop and think…"

"I just- I would like to- this- I would like to read this… _First_." Eliza touches the journal, fingers smoothing out the cover of it unnecessarily. "Before I decide anything… I'm sure you must realize I have my own apprehensions, my own secrets or at least things I'm not telling you… Give me some time to process…"

"Of course, Eliza. I will be around. Should you need me, do not hesitate to contact me." And in a brush of wind, Elijah was gone, a written number left on a piece of paper all the evidence he had ever been in her home.


	19. Truths (Part One)

No One's POV

"Hey are you okay?" Lucas plops down on the couch across from the armchair that Eliza sits in, the younger Saltzman looking out the window quietly.

"Yeah, just thinking." Eliza nods, smiling reassuringly at Lucas.

"About?" Lucas pesters a little.

"This." Eliza pats slightly, indicating to the journal sitting in her lap.

"You know you don't owe him **_anything_** , not him _or_ his siblings. Just because they assume they know you, you don't. That is dangerously ignorant of them, stupid at the _least_ , and arrogant at _most_. To believe that you owe them something, just because you wear the face of their long lost mate." Lucas points out logically.

"I know I don't, Luke. But you and I, your sister, Alaric, we all know why. The _real_ reason." Eliza sighs, looking down at the worn journal, which looks like it had been carried around, used, and well-taken care of for decades. "And, more than that… _I'm his mate_ … Or, Eliza Carter was… So, I mean, shouldn't I try and see where this goes?"

"Which is _all_ the more reason you don't owe them a _damn_ thing." Lucas says, looking more insistent. "He showed up at your _work_. Then here, at the _house_ … Which by the way, you invited him in… Dumb idea… If you were just a _normal_ woman. Would that **_not_** be a red flag? Never mind that fact he's a vampire. An _Original_ vampire. We may be strong, powerful, but we can't protect you from everything, Eliza! We are not invincible!"

"And, another thing… Just because she was Elijah's mate… _So what?_ Eliza Carter **isn't** _you_ … And Elijah expecting you to be her is not fair to you. Do you actually _feel_ anything towards Elijah? Besides, maybe admitting that he's attractive? Think about it, Eliza. _Seriously_. If mate bonds are supposed to be, like, soul mates… Your words, not mine. Then there has to be some sort of pull there." Lucas points out.

"I know, I know, I know…" Eliza raises her hands innocently. "And- and, I don't know… I just feel, like, maybe I should try… Or maybe I'm missing out on something…"

"Yeah, well _clearly_ you _don't_ know. Because you're thinking of doing something _dumb_." Lucas grouses, rolling his eyes and looking hilariously grumpy. "And I need to be here to reign in the stupid."

Eliza gives her best friend a deadpan look.

"Well, am I wrong?"

"No." Eliza answers with a sigh that boarder lines sulking.

"I thought so." Lucas glares half-heartedly at his best friend.

"I think I can trust him."

"And what if you _can't?_ " Lucas challenges. "If we try and subdue Elijah permanently you'll have the whole Original family after you instead. Is that what you want?"

"No, of course not. Running is not the kind of life I'd want to live anyways, Luke. And I would never want you and your family to pay that price either. They would come after you too. You'd have no other option but to create a-" Eliza begins to answer.

"Don't even say it, _please_. To think that I would _ever_ have to banish or lock my best friend away." Lucas cringes.

"You'd be protecting me. It's not the same thing, Luke." Eliza says softly. "I'd be safe, I'd be happy. I wouldn't even know the difference."

"It doesn't matter. I would never want to do it. That thought is nearly indescribable."

"It won't come to that, Luke. I promise."

"You can't promise that. And I hope not. It _better_ not. Because if it _does_ I swear to the _Other Side_ , I'll visit you in your exile just to _haunt_ you or _kill_ you myself." Lucas threatens with a half meaningful glare.

"Obviously. I'd expect nothing less of you or Liv." Eliza grins.

Lucas just throws a pillow from the couch at Eliza, to which she just dodges it, a moment later it turning into a full on pillow fight in the living room between all three of them as a stray pillow hits Olivia in the face as she walks by getting a snack from the kitchen.

"So I take it Luke couldn't talk you out of telling Mr. Suited Original?" Olivia questions after the living room is placed back into order, Eliza showing no surprise that Olivia already knew about her and Lucas' conversation; Olivia and Lucas often talked mentally through a spell or even shared each other's eye sight in situations, which made sharing information sometimes easier or more irritating.

"I know you think it's a bad idea, Liv… But I _do_ think that we can trust him. And I- I want to know. Do you realize what this means for me? I mean, the chance this is, for me? As far as I know, I've never remembered. I've never gotten the chance to know. _Ever_." Eliza explains.

"Okay, I see your point. But we're obviously staying here. And if he so much as makes _one_ **small** threatening move…" Olivia threatens.

"Then you'll both blast him to bits… Got it." Eliza nods dutifully.

"You got it." Olivia smirks.

"Mister Parker." Elijah greets, the door to his mate's house opening at his polite knock.

"Elijah." Lucas greets neutrally, then his gaze drifting down to Elijah's arms, eyebrow quickly quirking up into a "are you serious" expression.

"For Eliza." Elijah states almost unnecessarily, quickly feeling his previous nerves take hold again, as if waiting for Lucas' stamp of approval.

It had been a long time since Elijah truly tried to pass for a "human" or participated in human rituals and normality, rather than just existing and passing by as one, most humans just assuming he had oddities or instinctively steering clear due to the dangerous aura he exuded as a vampire (an Original nonetheless). But, it had been important to his Eliza in the 20s that her friends liked him. So presumingly it would be the same now.

"Hmm." Lucas simply offers. "Well, come in then." He adds, rather than commenting on the stuffed teddy bear Elijah had brought and the travel coffee mug along with it, which was also filled with dark chocolate (which was Eliza's favorite, how he knew that was a mystery).

"Elijah's here." Lucas announces, leading the Original into the living room.

" _Eliza_." Elijah breathes, catching sight of Eliza sitting in an armchair, blonde hair cascading around her face gently.

"Hello Elijah."

"Hello." Elijah answers, immediately gravitating towards her. "I- These are for you." He offers, placing them on the coffee table between them, another peace offering.

"Oh… Thank you, Elijah. That was very kind." Eliza smiles, her smile warm and gentle, a light tint coloring her cheeks.

"You're welcome, Eliza."

"I have your journal, Elijah. I'm finished with it. Thank you for letting me borrow it." Eliza picks it up from the small table beside her, not knowing how else to begin the conversation.

"Of course. I hope it helped answer questions." Elijah replies.

"It did. It was-" Eliza hesitates, selecting her words carefully. "It was very insightful. I can tell you loved her."

"I did. I do. She was my mate. How could I not?" Elijah questions a bit rhetorically, the pain of losing Eliza a wound that never quite closed.

"I- I thought about what you said…" Eliza begins again, weighing her words and decision carefully.

"And?" Elijah barely daring to breathe, chest feeling tight and inner animal feeling all too wound up and anxious, as he had the last few days.

"I am not a doppelganger. I am not Eliza Carter, Elijah…"

Elijah opens his mouth as if to tell his mate he knew that already and he didn't expect her to be the Eliza Carter of his past, only that he wanted the chance to know her in any capacity she allowed him.

"My name is Eliza Saltzman… _And I am a Phoenix_."

 ** _Alright, so here's the big chapter! I hope it explains some of your questions._**

 ** _I believe that it does._**

 ** _1\. Elijah was acting selfish, boarder line arrogant & ignorant, and definitely stupid... Any of the actions he did, if he were human, would be immediately red flags for a woman! Seriously, think about it guys... So it's actually WORSE because he's an Original, therefore more dangerous._**

 ** _2\. This leads us to this point... Eliza has EVERY right to reject Elijah's advances on that principle alone... A guy that she barely knows, claiming to a. know her, b. basically love her, c. want to "explain things", which is very pushy. Eliza SHOULD be wary, cautious, and skeptical at best, and be running for the hills at most!_**

 ** _So, her acting cold... Hell, fucking yes! I would do the same thing... Nonetheless, I've not-so-subtly hinted she does NOT remember her previous lives with the Mikaelsons. Therefore, to her, they aren't really her mate. Mix that in with the Mikaelsons being Originals, she's got the right to want to be SAFE. To her, they are nothing but a threat to her life, secret, & overall well-being._**

 ** _Sure, it's sweet that Elijah, in his own thoughts (being that we have a 3rd person view), know that he just earnestly wants to love her. But, she doesn't know that. So, in her position I'd be freaking out & barely giving any person the time of day._**

 ** _3\. Woo hoo! The big reveal on what she is... Which will also explain Eliza's further reservations... In time._**

 ** _Thank you for the comments & reviews!_**

 ** _Much love,_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	20. Truths (Part Two)

No One's POV

"My name is Eliza Saltzman… _And I am a Phoenix_."

"A Phoenix?" Elijah questions, stepping forward slightly only to make an immediate halting action as Lucas' hand instinctively raises in front of him from where he stands beside Eliza.

"She's trusting you against her better judgement and our advice to the contrary. Don't make us _make_ you _regret_ it." Lucas glares at the Noble Original, hand not lowering.

"Luke." Eliza says softly, lightly touching Lucas' outstretched hand, the youngest Gemini twin finally lowering it, but not before giving the second oldest Original another threatening look.

"A Phoenix. Like the bird in Greek mythology?" Elijah confirms.

"The Phoenix is associated with mythology of many cultures, Greek the most prominent. But yes." Eliza nods, keeping her explanation surface level, unwilling and unsure if she can trust the Original with the full truth; a truth that would endanger her life if it turned out he could not be trusted.

"Reincarnation." Elijah finally utters, looking as if he just had the shock of the century, which he probably just had. " _You were Eliza Carter_."

"I don't remember being her. I've _never_ remembered any of my past lives. I've never even had the chance to _know_ about them before. But-" Eliza is cut off by Elijah practically charging her.

Olivia and Lucas' hands both thrust outward immediately.

" _Wait!_ " Eliza manages to hold off her trigger happy best friends, one hand wiggling free of Elijah's grasp on her so she can wave off both Lucas and Olivia before they can blast the Original with their powers. "I'm- I'm fine. He's not hurting me."

Elijah was simply _hugging_ her.

"Ummm…" Eliza manages to now say, awkwardly laying a hand on Elijah's back in a hug since her arms were mostly pinned to her sides.

" _You're my mate_." Elijah whispers, face tucked into Eliza's neck, scent filling his senses; feeling an overwhelming amount of emotion cascade through him, not even knowing where to begin.

"Oh." Eliza softens.

"You're taking this a lot better than I expected you would." She quips after a moment.

"Well, I am a thousand years old." Elijah straightens out, gaze sweeping across his mate's familiar features, drinking her in, barely daring to believe he was getting a second chance.

"I don't remember our time together. I am _not_ the same Eliza you remember, Elijah." Eliza says seriously.

"I will help you remember. And if you do not, then it does not matter. You are _still_ my mate."

Eliza evaluates him for a moment, as if to evaluate Elijah's sincerity.

"I may _never_ remember. I am Eliza Saltzman, Elijah. I am _not_ her." She states firmly.

"I have known from the moment I met you, _saw_ **you** , Eliza Saltzman, you were my mate." Elijah answers with unwavering conviction, fingers reaching out to brush against her jaw ever so gently, as if cradling glass. "You look like her, so very similar, but you _are_ different. I promise you. I only wish for a _chance_ , whatever moments you will give me. But I know it, I feel it, in my soul, in my very being. _You are my mate_. And I shall prove it to you if you allow me to."

"Okay."

 ** _I'm going on vacation ya'll! To Tennessee..._**

 ** _See you on the flip side next week!_**

 ** _Thank you for all the lovely reviews! They keep me motivated! Now we just gotta pray to the writing gods that my plot bunnies keep hoping! Haha! (:_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	21. Bridging the Gap (Part One)

No One's POV

"May I offer you a ride to work?" Elijah's voice startles Eliza a day or two later after their talk.

"Oh! _Elijah!_ " Eliza jumps, nearly dropping her keys, having not seen or heard Elijah pull up to her house.

"My apologies, Eliza. I did not mean to frighten you." Elijah quickly flashes to her side, picking up her keys just before they fall to the ground away from her reach.

"What- I mean, hello Elijah." Eliza greets, straightening up. "And thank you." She says, taking her keys from the Original's outstretched hand.

"Hello Eliza." Elijah smiles down at his mate, expression filled with unspoken affection.

"I- work… You offered me a ride?" Eliza questions, flustered by the Original's appearance.

"Yes, if- if you would like one?" Elijah suddenly back tracks, wondering if his appearance and question was suddenly appropriate at all; he of course wanted to _be_ with his mate, in any and all capacity, but were they together? This century and decade was often so confusing and irritating; he observing that humans often entering in things far more casual. But _Eliza was his_ and his inner animal did _not **share**._

"That would be- very nice. Thank you, 'Lijah." Eliza smiles, the sudden nickname slipping out casually.

Elijah smiles back a little more open, his postures slipping into a much more relaxed state than before, offering Eliza his arm like the gentleman he is, guiding his mate to his shiny BMW parked by the curb.

"How has your morning been, Elskan?" Elijah inquires, car starting up.

"Hectic, the usual. I woke up a little late." Eliza answers. "How was your morning?"

"Pleasant." Elijah shrugs. "This morning was good weather for a walk in the park."

"Sounds nice. So what does an Original vampire do anyhow? On a normal basis?" Eliza questions. "I imagine terrorizing people… Torture and whatnot?" At that she quirks an eyebrow and smirks in good teasing nature.

"Oh, that would be my brother, Niklaus. I prefer reading the paper, perhaps a little less terrorizing. Only when the occasion calls for it. It ruins my suits." Elijah quirks his lips slightly, glad that his mate seemed to be more calm and trusting of him.

"Of course." Eliza giggles slightly.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" Elijah finally asks, daring to reach for her hand that lies on the middle console, which despite the small distance, seemed like such a large gap between them. "As a date, Eliza?"

"Yes." Eliza smiles, allowing Elijah to take her hand.

"I will pick you up from work then. And then take you home so you may get ready." Elijah informs.

"Alright. Thank you for taking me to work, Elijah." Eliza smiles, squeezing his hand gently.

"Of course, Elskan. Any time." Elijah smiles genuinely, car stopping.

"I shall see you after work then, Eliza." Elijah says, opening the car door for his mate.

"Yes, after work. I get off at 5pm. But I'm sure you already knew that." Eliza smirks, leaning up to press a light kiss to Elijah's cheek. "Thank you again, 'Lijah. Bye!" And at that, darts off towards the door of the Starbucks.

 ** _Woo hoo! Look at this ya'll, I managed an update..._**

 ** _Man, I am SOOO bored here in TN... I LOVE Tennessee, but sometimes, ugh... Family reunions are sooo boring..._**

 ** _Hugs & lots of love!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	22. Bridging the Gap (Part Two)

No One's POV

"You look beautiful, Eliza." Elijah compliments, greeting his mate as she opens the door for him, Elijah's gaze taking in his mate in her light blue dress, the color accenting her crystal blue eyes and bringing the radiance in her blonde hair which shined like the sun.

"Thank you, Elijah. You look very handsome yourself." Eliza blushes lightly at Elijah's compliment, taking Elijah's offered arm as he leads her to his car.

"Thank you, Elskan." Elijah smiles, fingers brushing lightly along her cheek.

"I mean, it's obviously pretty hard for you to choose your suits. The dark suit on the left side of your closet or the identical dark suit on the right side of your closet?" Eliza giggles, Elijah opening the car door for her to slip into his idling BMW.

"I prefer the one in the middle actual, thank you very much." Elijah smirks back teasingly, shutting the door securely to his mate laughing loudly and freely, her blonde curls bouncing and falling around her face.

"So, where are we going?" Eliza questions once Elijah has gotten into the car.

"It's a surprise." Elijah answers, offering his hand to his mate for her to take if she wished; to his extreme contentment she did.

"Oh, okay." Eliza slightly pouts.

"Patience, my sweet Eliza." Elijah simply chuckles, bringing her hand up to kiss the back of it.

"We are here, Eliza." Elijah gently guides Eliza out of his BMW.

"Oh!" Eliza's gaze widens at the restaurant before her and the beautiful lights strung overhead on the outside veranda overlooking the Columbia River.

"Come, our table is ready, Astin." Elijah takes Eliza's hand, tugging softly to pull her out to their seating places.

"It's beautiful, Elijah."

"I'm glad you are pleased, Eliza." Elijah smiles, his inner animal rumbling in approval that he could so aptly care for and make his mate happy.

"Wait-" Eliza pauses, head turning towards the inside of the restaurant. "The restaurant is _empty_."

"I rented it." Elijah replies simply, as if it's no issue, already picking up his menu and sliding his mate her own.

" _You what!?_ "

"It is no issue, Elskan. I wish to treat you, to cherish you, like the treasure you are to me. Now let us decide what we shall eat." Elijah pushes the menu towards Eliza again, her own stunned silence he takes as compliance on the subject for now, then taking her hand and pressing a kiss against the back of it before dropping it, content to watch the sun drop over the horizon, illuminating her vibrant, sunny blonde locks.

"Thank you for dinner, 'Lijah." Eliza sighs, enjoying the view of the river and the stars twinkling off the calm water.

"You are most welcome, Elskan." Elijah replies, smiling in return. "Would you like to take a walk along the river? There is a trail."

"Yes, that would be nice." Eliza eagerly nods, hoping out of her seat before Elijah can rise to help her.

"Come then, the path is this way." Elijah guides, draping his jacket over Eliza as she lightly shivers from the cool night breeze.

"Thank you." Eliza says, voice soft.

"Of course." Elijah offers back, tucking her into his side securely.

"Do you miss your family?" Eliza asks after a few moments of walking.

"At times. My siblings and I have always had a- an interesting and complex sort of relationship. We have been together for centuries. Stuck by each other in many times of crisis. Out of necessity. Because of my father, Mikael. He hunted us for what we were. Niklaus killed him. And, well, you were with us for the incident with our mother, Esther. Of course I will always be there for them. But there are other times, many times, through the centuries, where- where I wished I could just be, by myself. It sounds terribly selfish, doesn't it?" Elijah admits. "I am, have been, the more moral one of the family, you could say. My siblings seem to think I'm boring."

"Well, you _do_ have that reputation. I _do_ know a fair bit about your family…" Eliza teases lightly.

"But, no. It doesn't sound selfish. Not really. I've- I've always known _what_ I am… I don't know about before. But in _this_ life, I have. And because of it, I've spent most of my life… With that knowledge. It's hard. And- there are many times, I've just wanted to be normal. Even if that's impossible. So I understand, at least a little." Eliza discloses a little more without being too precise about details.

Elijah doesn't press for more information, only allowing Eliza to share what she wished, quietly relieved that she seemed to understand him and accept his selfish thoughts.

"I find being here, with you, perhaps may be selfish, but is all I currently want." Elijah says quietly.

"With me on this walk? Because if that's the case, I think we can make that happen. Or with me here-" Eliza stops talking abruptly.

" _Eliza_." Elijah worries, his arm constricting around his mate.

" _Elijah_." Eliza gently tugs on Elijah's shirt. "I think someone's following us."

"Following us?" Elijah questions urgently, head bending low to brush against her ear.

"Yes. _Following us_." Eliza nods, pressing into his side more, and if it were any other situation other than his mate being afraid, he'd enjoy the feeling of her small, slim toned body close to his.

Elijah feels his inner animal snarl with protective rage, his teeth grind together and jaw clench in order to control himself; no one threatened his mate, _no one_.

"Alright, Elskan. It's alright. I shall protect you. I shall _always_ protect you." Elijah drops a small kiss to his mate's crown, arm constricting tighter around her instinctively.

Eliza nods, pressing closer still, her hands curling into his dress shirt slightly, crumpling it.

"Come, let us walk back to our car." Elijah guides them in a loop along the path.

" _There_. Now, all safe and sound back in the car." Elijah smiles reassuring to his mate, placing Eliza back into the car, Eliza seated in the passenger's seat as he cups her face carefully, pressing a small kiss to her temple. "I shall be back in just a moment, Eliza. _I promise_."

"Why?"

"I simply wish to have a small _chat_ , with the person."

"You're going to threaten them aren't you?"

"Nonsense. It's a simple chat, Eliza. No killing at all." Elijah smiles innocently.

"Okay." Eliza smiles a little shakily.

"Lock the doors, Elskan." Elijah reminds gently, fingers drifting one last time down her cheek before he shuts the door securely shut, flashing off.

" _Hello there_." Elijah growls darkly, slamming the figure into the brick of the nearest building. "I hope you'll excuse my manners… But you were following me and my date… **_Why?_** "

" ** _Elijah Mikaelson_**." The sweatshirt wearing figure choked out, eyes widening in fear at the realization of who had been with the Phoenix rather than just any plain date.

"Hmmm… So you've _heard_ of me." Elijah snarls, veins already cracking under his eyes. " ** _Good_**. Then perhaps you're not as stupid as you look. So, **_tell me_**. _Why were you following us?_ "

"It- it won't matter." The figure stutters out, too afraid to be able to get anything coherent out. "The- the Travelers are st- strong. You cannot fight us."

" ** _Tell. Me_**." Elijah snarls furiously, fangs bared as he reaches in to grab at the person's heart, intent on being done with it once and for all, forgetting the promise he'd made to Eliza; he'd hoped she'd forgive him of his transgression of killing the person, he didn't have the patience, not when someone _threatened_ her.

"It'll be too late. She- she's long gone." At that the figure attempts to move his hands, as if to call a spell, Elijah quickly snapping his wrists before pulling out his heart, body dropping to the ground with a sickening thud; in the distance, the direction of the BMW, he hears a scream and a sickening crunch of metal overturning.

" _ELIZA!_ " Elijah roars, flashing off.

Several figures were encircling the BMW when Elijah returned, the BMW tipped on its side and the figures advancing closer to the crunched SUV.

Elijah saw nothing but a haze of **_black_** filled **_rage_**.

" _Eliza_." Elijah calls out insistently, after disposing of the last body; dismembered limbs and hearts carelessly tossed around him.

"Elijah?" Eliza asks softly, Elijah hearing subtle shifting inside his SUV.

"Don't move." Elijah immediately flashes over to the nearest uncrushed door, worried his mate may be injured from the crash, and prying the door off the hinges, practically vaulting the door half way across the parking lot in his haste to look inside.

" _Eliza_." Elijah breathes, feeling the darkness in his eyes recede slightly, relief to see his mate relatively unharmed.

" _Elijah!_ " Eliza reaches for the Original, having been tosses quite abruptly from the BMW falling on its side, glass raining down on her and scratching her on the arms.

Elijah automatically reaches back, lifting Eliza out of the SUV and into his arms, cradling her carefully as if she was some fragile, frightened animal.

"I am sorry. I am _so_ sorry, Eliza." Elijah whispers, lips tenderly placing a kiss to Eliza's forehead. "I should have never left you alone."

"It's okay Elijah. You didn't know I was going to get hurt." Eliza answers, arms wrapping around Elijah's neck tightly, resting her head against his shoulder and the crook of his neck.

"I am still sorry." Elijah responds, feeling guilt claw at his insides.

"No, don't be sorry. You _saved_ me. That's what matters." Eliza sighs, tucking herself closer to the Original.

" _Always_. I will _always_ save you Eliza." Elijah promises. "Now let's get you home."

 ** _Thank you for all the encouraging reviews & tips for TN! Everyone is lovely!_**

 ** _Unfortunately..._**

 ** _1\. It's my own family, not my extended family, that I'm annoyed at & want to currently murder. Though I've heard the police are a little against that these days... Lols. We're stuck in one small house together & I can't get away from them... *screams*_**

 _ **2\. My dad literally will NOT let us do ANYTHING, except be with his family. Which, okay, I understand to SOME degree, we're here to see your family. Which we don't see often... But we're here for DAYS. I think doing a few things is not going to kill us... So stop acting like a total grump when we ask to do something that dare inconveniences you from a SECOND from your family... Anyways, that means, we don't get to see or do anything... So, no fun things for me... I'll have to see that stuff on my own time when I move down here to finish the rest of my schooling.**_

 ** _But yes, I do LOVE country music. In fact, Audio Engineering (production), is my college degree._**

 ** _3\. And I'm coming home today! Woo! I need a vacation from my family! Haha!_**

 ** _Lots of love,_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	23. Bridging the Gap (Part Three)

No One's POV

" _What did you do?_ " Olivia growls at the Original, upon seeing her best friend and the Original arrive back home, Elijah jacket soaked in blood and Eliza's forearms scratched up.

" _Talk fast_ , Elijah Mikaelson." Lucas glares, fingers flexing slightly as if already tingling with a spell.

" _Wait!_ " Eliza mumbles, eyes blinking open blearily and head lifting from where she rested it on Elijah's shoulder. "He- he didn't do anything. He _saved_ me."

Olivia and Lucas didn't budge from the front door or lower their hands, the Gemini twins looking formidable, and Elijah didn't doubt their loyalty or their strength of their powers.

"Luke, Liv. _Really_. He did." Eliza pleads, then goes on to explain. "Someone was following me. I was _attacked_. He _rescued_ me."

"Attacked… And, someone just managed to _follow_ you? To _find_ you?" Olivia questions, gaze narrowing suspiciously, clearly questioningly the timing of things.

"If you are questioning-" Elijah nearly snarls, his inner animal downright _offended_ and _insulted_ , as well as **outraged** that someone would question and doubt his ability to protect and his sincerity towards his mate.

"You are **_damn_** right we're questioning you. We don't trust you!" Lucas growls, at this sparks flash warningly between his fingers; Lucas, while more powerful than his sister, typically did not chose the "flashier" spells, he was more subtle, but he thought it might be appropriate, to remind the Original just who he was choosing to **_challenge_**.

The Gemini Coven was not a coven to make an enemy of, and the Gemini heirs had been training since they were toddlers, barely able to walk. Their powers were beyond nature, beyond control of most witches and warlocks, they could bend nature, weather, and reality to their **_will_**.

"Guys, **_please_**. It wasn't Elijah. And Elijah, they're just being careful. They're my best friends, and it's their job." Eliza says, exhausted, closing her eyes tired from the ordeal.

"Yes, of course. I apologize, Elskan." Elijah immediately backs down, head dipping down to press his forehead against hers affectionately.

"Is there anything about the attack you remember, 'Liza?" Olivia asks finally moving away from the doorway, though still a bit begrudgingly.

"No. Just the crunching of metal. It was too dark. I'm sorry, Liv." Eliza shakes her head, Elijah clenching his jaw slightly, not wanting Eliza to have to speak about tonight if she didn't want to.

"They called themselves the Travelers, I believe." Elijah cuts off, stepping over the threshold into the house, much to the wariness of the Gemini twins.

"The Travelers?" Lucas cuts off. " _Are you sure?_ "

"I am most positive, Mister Parker." Elijah nods curtly, gaze meeting the youngest Gemini twin. "We- chatted… _Briefly_. If you would like to call it chatting."

"Well _shit_." Lucas breathes, rubbing his forehead as if stalling a headache.

"Do you know them?" Elijah questions, alarm shooting through him, making his already wound up inner animal, tenser.

"Know the- _Yes_. We need to call our dad, 'Liza. Maybe even go see him." Olivia sighs, mind already thinking ten steps ahead.

"Oh, okay." Eliza nods.

"And Alaric." Lucas adds.

"What, _no!_ He's just going to worry."

" _Yes_ , 'Liza. Him too. This is _important_." Lucas nods.

" **Fine**." Eliza sulks slightly.

"Will you be alright? Just for an hour or so?" Lucas asks.

Eliza only nods, the house after all, was protected by the strongest Gemini invisibility spell possible, the Parker siblings leaving a moment later.

"Elijah?" Eliza asks softly a moment later in the quiet emptiness of the house.

"Yes, Elskan?" Elijah asks.

"Could- could you, maybe, stay? _Please?_ I- I know I said I'd be okay. But- I- I don't really want to be alone. You don't- just for a bit?" Eliza questions, voice getting quieter and quieter by the end of her sentence.

"Of course, Elskan." Elijah immediately quiets his mate. "As long as you would like."

"Okay. Thank you." Eliza tucks herself into him more, Elijah sniffing out her room with his keen vampire senses.

"I will get a washcloth to clean your cuts while you change." Elijah offers, carefully depositing his mate on her bed.

Eliza smiles at him, Elijah feeling the warmth in it, like sun cresting over the hills on a summer's day; Elijah brushing a finger down her face tenderly before flashing out into the hallway and into the bathroom.

It was only then when he realized the picture he made of himself, half covered in blood from the slight massacre he had committed; he quickly shrugged off his jacket, rolling up his dress shirt sleeves casually before returning to his mate's room.

"Eliza?" Elijah knocks softly.

"Come in." Eliza answers.

"Let me." Elijah helps his mate gently wipe blood off her arms and bandage the worse cuts.

"Thank you, Elijah." Eliza thanks Elijah after she's settled under the blankets.

"Always, Astin." Elijah brushes hair off her forehead carefully before standing up to leave.

"Elijah…" Eliza stops the Original before he can leave.

"Yes, Eliza?" Elijah immediately stalls, hand pausing to flick off her light.

"Would you- would you please stay?" She asks in a small voice, insecurity and fear wavering in her tone, Elijah unsure if it was because she was unsure of asking or because of what had occurred.

" _Always_."

 _ **So... Guess who's writing fan fiction instead of writing a college essay? Lols. This girl...**_

 _ **Just a few things...**_

 _ **1\. It's canon that Lucas uses less "flashy" magic than his sister & is more powerful. It is states in several TVD episodes that if they were to merge Lucas would win. However, he is NOT more powerful than Kai. He does lose to Kai... Ugh, they have such a tragic story in TVD. *sobs* Anyways... So that reference is canon.**_

 _ **2\. The Gemini Coven uses natural magic (the Travelers do not, they are like the "step-siblings in the witch world"). That is a canon reference. However, I am kind of using a little creative liberties with how powerful they are... Lucas & Olivia HAVE been training since they were toddlers... That is canon too. It is said that they were using telekinesis & locator spells in CHILDHOOD.**_

 _ **So, I believe it would be logical that by college age they would have excelled far beyond that. In many scenes in TVD you see their hair blowing by their power. Olivia can stop a car, so can Lucas... Seriously, don't freaking piss them off... All in all, I don't think being able to do half of what I'm having them do is completely illogical... Especially because their coven can create Prison Worlds... That is literally a different parallel world, ergo a different reality.**_

 _ **3\. Anyways,**_ _ **now we wrap up these parts of the last chapters! Don't worry ya'll... I haven't forgotten our other cinnamon roll Originals! We'll be coming back to them in a bit!**_

 _ **Lots of love,**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_


	24. A Call Home

No One's POV

A sharp ring of a phone pierced through the silence of bedroom, waking Eliza from blissful unconsciousness.

"Hello?" Eliza grumbles as she brings the phone to her ear.

" _Something you want to tell me, little sister?_ " Alaric's voice asks, tone impatient.

"Do you- do you realize what time it is?" Eliza asks, eyes peeking open to look at her clock; 7 am in the morning.

"I'm on a break between classes. And you're not answering my questions Eliza…" Alaric insists, you could practically hear the eye roll.

" ** _No_**." Eliza answers, voice pure innocence.

" _Eliza_." Alaric growls.

"I was fine. Nothing to worry about! I had help!" Eliza protests.

" _From an Original!_ Which… You **_also_** didn't tell me about! Since when do you hang around with Originals, Eliza!? _Honestly!_ Do you have any how **_bad_** of an idea that is?" Alaric lectures, groaning a little at the thought.

"I'm **_fine_** , 'Laric!" Eliza insists.

"I already told the school I'm leaving. I'll see you in a week or so." Alaric tells his sister, the tone indicating there wasn't any question.

"Alaric…" Eliza sighs. "Look- as much as I-"

"No discussion. I'm coming home." Alaric cuts his sister off.

"No, Alaric!" Eliza protests more.

"Alright, I gotta go. I'll call you later. I love you. Bye Eliza."

"I love you too. Bye, Alaric." Eliza sighs, the phone dial toning a moment later.

Setting her phone down back on the night stand, Eliza huffs a little and rolls back over into the pillows and blankets before realizing she was alone in her bed, the faint smell of men's cologne lingering on the sheets; and she was hoping she hallucinated asking Elijah to spend the night with her, how _embarrassing_.

"Elijah?" Eliza calls quietly, peeking her head out of her room and padding softly down the hall, the twins already off to school; they often liked to hang out with friends before class.

"Good morning Elskan." Elijah smiles, turning from the stove, standing in his boxers and dress shirt from last night, flipping pancakes and scrambling eggs looking painfully _domestic_.

"Uh, morning." Eliza greets, the scene jarring her.

"Breakfast is almost ready." Elijah informs passively, not at all concerned with anything.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." Eliza nods, slightly skittish and not really knowing what to do.

"Coffee?" Elijah offers.

"I can get it." Eliza waves off, happy for a task, to keep her mind on something, even if it was brief.

"Did you sleep well?" Elijah questions.

"Yes, thank you for staying."

"Of course, Eliza. I will always be here for you." Elijah answers, turning to look at his mate seriously before turning back to flip a pancake.

"I know- I just- thank you. It means a lot to me." Eliza pushes the handle of her cup back and forth between her hands on the counter where she sits at the bar.

"Your breakfast is served." Elijah flourishes a little, humor hinting in his expression as he puts the plate in front of Eliza.

"Thank you for breakfast, Elijah. It looks delicious." Eliza smiles, fingers brushing his.

"You are most welcome, Elskan." Elijah smiles back, settling next to his mate with his own food.

"So…" Eliza begins, cutting a piece of pancake and poking it in a spot of syrup. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I was hoping, if you are free, that you might join me for another date? Since our plans last night went awry." Elijah asks, tone casual, but behind it a sort of uncertainty as if he believed that Eliza might reject him.

"I may be able to- make time in my schedule…" Eliza teases light heartedly. "What did you have in mind?"

"Do you mind a small drive?"

"The beach?" Eliza raises her eyebrow in a bit of disbelief at Elijah as he opens her car door of his rental and offers his hand like the gentleman he is.

"Would you believe it if I told you I have not been to the Oregon coast?" Elijah tells his mate.

"Not one bit." Eliza sasses.

"I have not. In all my years alive I have not seen the Oregon coast. I have lived many places, but this is one of the places I have not seen." Elijah answers truthfully.

"You've clearly missed out then. The Northwest coastline is beautiful. Cold, but beautiful." Eliza offers, now the one to link hands with the Original and dragging him straight onto the sandy beach, kicking her shoes off somewhere behind her and racing straight down the cold, wet beach.

"It is beautiful." Elijah speaks, arms wrapped around Eliza sometime later after they have taken a walk along the beach, sheltering her from the wind of the Pacific Northwest coastline that was nearly constant. "But not as beautiful as you."

"That was- _really_ sappy, Elijah." Eliza feels her cheeks redden, and not just from the cold of the wind and coastline chill.

Elijah simply chuckles, head dipping down to press a kiss to Eliza's crown.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." Eliza nods.

Eliza is sleeping in the car as he drives back to Portland, the sun dipped low along the horizon, as Elijah drives home from their beach day when his phone rings, Niklaus' name flashing across his touch screen.

"Brother." Elijah answers.

"Elijah." Niklaus simply speaks.

"What do you need?" Elijah only asks, his siblings rarely calling for anything else but help; it wasn't that they didn't care for each other, but usually it was because they needed him to clean up their messes for lack of words.

"We've ran into- _problems_." Niklaus responds for lack of explanations. "I need your help, Elijah. I need you to return to Mystic Falls."

 ** _I had a few people ask about the Parker twins & their loyalty to Eliza. So I'll answer that since I don't really consider that a "spoiler" for the story._**

 ** _They are loyal because she is their best friend, but also because the Gemini Coven protects the Phoenix. So, I guess the answer is both._**

 ** _You'll find out more about Eliza as the Phoenix later & why she's so valuable. But the Parker siblings do love Eliza for Eliza, not just because of duty. Duty, after all, most of the time can only inspire so much loyalty or effort. You'll also find out more about Eliza & the Gemini twins' past together._**

 ** _Thanks for the questions! I love them!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	25. Diamond Rings (Part One)

No One's POV

Sunlight peeked through the blinds of the bedroom as morning dawned, the tone of an alarm ringing, rousing both inhabitants from sleep.

"Lijah?" Eliza whispers, her body turning into the Original to snuggle closer to his warmth.

"Yes, Elskan. Shhh. Go back to sleep. I will wake you in a little while." Elijah hushes, finger sliding across his phone to silence his alarm, arms wrapping around his mate to hold her just a little closer for a few moments longer before waking up and climbing out of Eliza's bed.

"M'kay." Eliza mutters, quickly falling back to sleep, having not even opened her eyes.

It had been nearly a week since Niklaus had called, Elijah delaying returning to Mystic Falls, claiming he had business to finish up, but since then Elijah really hadn't left Eliza's house, much to the annoyance of the Gemini siblings.

" _Eliza_. **_Elskan_**." Elijah rouses an hour later, his bags packed and set in his car to take him to the airport where he would board one of the many private jets the Mikaelsons owned, and breakfast now made for his mate and sitting on a tv tray.

"Lijah?" Eliza mumbles, eyes blinking open sleepily.

"Good morning sleepy head." Elijah smiles down at his mate, fingers brushing lightly over her cheek.

"Morning, 'Lijah." Eliza smiles back. "Oh, you made breakfast?"

"I did." Elijah smiles affectionately.

"You didn't have to. But thank you." Eliza leans up to kiss Elijah softly.

"You're welcome, Eliza." Elijah leans down to return the kiss equally as gently. "I have a gift for you."

" _Elijah!_ " Eliza half-heartedly protests. " _You're_ the one leaving. Shouldn't I be the one to give you something?"

Elijah simply smiles a sort of mysterious, pragmatic smile.

"Two gifts, actually…" Elijah corrects, to which Eliza groans playfully again. "One, which I am hoping you will wear, and another you do not have to if you do not wish." At this he pauses, looking down at the tray between them, an almost nervous action, before pulling two small boxes.

"It was always meant to be yours… I do not- I do not want you to think that- I am not trying- or that you are not- that I do not see you as _different_ … You mean as much, _more_ to me, than _her_ …" Elijah stumbles over his words, now pushing the small wrapped gifts towards Eliza, both not needing Elijah to say Eliza Carter's name for either of them know who he was speaking of. "But- I simply thought that- that- as I said… It was meant to be yours… I did not feel right keeping it. And- I hope that someday… You are my mate… You are my future, Eliza. The only woman that I ever wish…"

"Why don't you let me open them, Elijah?" Eliza cuts the Original off and his clear rambling at this point, sliding one hand over his before taking the boxes after another moment.

"Yes." Elijah nods.

Eliza unwraps the boxes carefully, then nearly dropping them as she fumbles, opening the first box; inside the first box sits a thin, platinum band ring with small diamonds inlaid into the band.

"Are- are you _proposing_ to- to me?" Eliza asks, feeling a little hysterical, her voice possibly cracking, she wasn't sure; frankly she wasn't sure if she was hallucinating right now. "We've- we've known each other a _week_ … Two- two at most…"

"No." Elijah answers. "Unless you want me to... Then, yes." He waivers for a moment, clearly not really able to understand Eliza's completely blank look on her face, Eliza still starring at the ring in the box as if it was going to jump out and bite her like a rabid animal.

Eliza chokes a little on air.

"Not- not necessary." Eliza immediately rushes out, voice still a little strangled. "Alaric will murder me. And then you. Liv and Luke will help. And- and I'm in _pjs_."

"You are still beautiful." Elijah leans in to press a kiss to his mate's forehead.

Eliza felt a little like laughing at Elijah's ability to make this as sappy and romantic as possible.

"If- if I open the second box, am I going to see another engagement ring?" Eliza asks.

"Yes." Elijah answers, the unspoken name goes unsaid.

Eliza opens it, the ring silver and elegant in a completely different way, older, more timeless, as if meant for a different era.

The world went dark a moment later.

Within the black blur and haze, memories swam before her unconscious mind; flashes of a decade long since lost, an old dog, a kind servant, a country mansion, a loving father, a socialite mother, the blur of Chicago, memories of parties and vacations across Europe, the Roaring 20s, the life of Eliza Carter coming alive again.

" _ELIJAH!_ "


	26. Diamond Rings (Part Two)

No One's POV

" _ELIJAH!_ " Eliza gasps, jolting awake with a bolt, eyes flashing open and almost scrambling awake, startling both the Parker twins and Elijah who were all three in her room

The Gemini siblings had all but burst into their best friend's room ready to rain hell on Earth on any and everything, Elijah promptly panicking upon Eliza falling unconscious, inner vampire frantic and unable to do anything to help his mate.

"Eliza?" Elijah questions softly, moving immediately to Eliza's side, hands hovering over her hesitant to touch, as if afraid to break her.

"Lijah!" Eliza smiles, throwing herself into his arms, the Original quickly catching his mate, arms automatically wrapping around her.

" _Eliza_." Elijah answers immediately, confused at the turn of the situation, but head bending down to dip into her neck, resting lightly in the crook of it, relieved to see his mate unharmed from whatever had made her fall unconscious over an hour ago.

"Are you- are you _sniffing_ me?" Eliza questions after a second, the question slipping out of her mouth before she can stop it; the question also making the Gemini siblings tense slightly, moving to react slightly.

"Nonsense, Eliza. I am not a werewolf." Elijah answers dryly, but he moves his nose slightly away from her jugular, telling Eliza that it was _exactly_ what he was doing; she refrained from giggling.

"Never mind… It doesn't matter… Animal…" Eliza teases good-naturedly. " _I remember_ , Elijah." At that she lifts her head from his chest to look at him in his eyes, hands come up to touch his cheek.

"You re- remember?" Elijah asks, his gaze deep and unfathomable, glimmering with a type of fragile hope.

 _1920s, Chicago_

 _The drive to the Carter mansion was a familiar, if not a comforting one to Elijah, he had traveled it many times over the course of the last several months._

 _But this one, this one was **important** , more important than any others; he was going to ask Eliza to marry him._

 _The image of his mate hovered in his mind, her soft blonde hair, fashioned in a short cut around her slim face, much like the flappers of the Roaring 20s, her green eyes shining in the sun, and soft nature that soothed his restless inner animal._

 _He had never once believed, than in his long eternity he would find her. Find the salvation and redemption that he didn't deserve. But he had. He had found Eliza Carter. His precious treasure, his light, and he desired her, craved her, and wanted her more than anything else in the world. And he would rip worlds apart just to keep her safe, keep her by his side, keep her love._

 _A short walk from his car to the old colonial style front porch of the Carter estate, Elijah straightened his suit unnecessarily before ringing the doorbell, it chiming loudly._

 _"Mr. Mikaelson." Jarvis, the head butler, answers, looking more worn, tired, and less put together than Elijah had ever seen him._

 _"Hello Jarvis. Is Eliza available-" Elijah begins to speak._

 _"Mr. Mikaelson-" Jarvis cuts off, his expression one of almost pity and sorrow. "Mr. Mikaelson, you should come in."_

 _"Jarvis, what-?" Elijah steps in at the invite, Jarvis taking his coat politely before leading him to sit down in the foyer._

 _"Mr. Mikaelson, have you read the paper?" Jarvis questions, again cutting off the Original's questioning._

 _"No, I have not. I have- I have been out of town for the week on business." Elijah shakes his head, not understanding what this had to do with anything, but getting an uneasy feeling in his gut._

 _"Perhaps you should." Jarvis hands him a paper gently._

 ** _High Society, Socialite's Daughter, Eliza Carter, Killed in a Tragic Car Accident_**

 _"I- I see." Elijah feels the paper drop to the floor of the Carter estate, it echoing loudly in the empty Carter estate like a gavel to his heart and soul._

 _"They are at the gravesite now." Jarvis informs him._

 _"Yes- thank you, Jarvis." Elijah hears himself say vaguely, but his world had gone grey, everything he had wanted taken from him; he would never see his mate again, Eliza was **gone** , taken from him, he wasn't even able to save her._

 _Elijah disappeared from the Carter estate._

 _Later that evening, after the crowd of pointless socialites were long gone, and those that truly loved Eliza had grieved, a lone figure stood over a freshly dug grave._

 ** _Eliza Carter_**

 ** _May she sleep with angels… And I'm sure she'll teach them a thing or two._**

 ** _October, 16 1899 – April 11, 1923_**

" _I remember_ , Elijah." Eliza nods, smiling.

Elijah's gaze moves quickly to the tossed boxes that had fallen to the ground when Eliza had fallen unconscious, picking up the small platinum ring that was inlaid with diamonds.

"Will you accept this?" Elijah questions, presenting it to his mate.

For a moment Eliza furrows her brows, a little confused to the reasons Elijah was presenting her with the first ring and not the older one.

"Do you remember what I told you? That I would help you remember. And if you did not, that it did not matter?" Elijah prompts. "You remember. I am gratified for that. But you are still Eliza Saltzman. And I wish for our future together, our future in this day."

"And just to clarify… This isn't an engagement ring. Because- because, I'm really not ready to be married…" Eliza waivers for a moment but still with a little bit of a smile on her lips.

"A symbol of our future. And my devotion to you." Elijah answers.

"Okay." Eliza smiles, allowing Elijah to slide it onto her finger.

"This was _so_ sappy. I think my teeth have cavities from watching that." Lucas says, now butting into the moment, his hand dropping from his defensive stance and shoulders rolling back a little, relaxing.

"Well you didn't have to _stay_." Eliza immediately retorts, her gaze turning to her best friends.

"Sorry for being worried about my best friend who suddenly fell _unconscious_ for no damn reason." Lucas rolls his eyes.

"Fair point." Eliza concedes.

"So… When are we leaving? We should start packing, right?" Lucas asks, Olivia looking a bit resigned to Lucas' question and the impending, inevitable future for her, her brother, and Eliza.

"Leaving?" Elijah questions now, not understanding.

" _Obviously_." Lucas shrugs. "Eliza remembers your time together. As if she's going to let you run back to _Mystic Falls_ by yourself. That place is like supernatural central _and_ a danger magnet all in one. It's like you don't know her at all." At that Lucas does another sassy, impressive eye roll.

Elijah opens his mouth to protest, not wanting his mate anywhere near Mystic Falls or, the small selfish, possessive part of himself that was growing louder, not wanting him near his brothers, who also had a past with Eliza.

"You know me so well, Luke." Eliza grins in a sort of conspirator look, expression gleaming. "When does your plane leave, Elijah?"

 ** _Happy 4th of July to all my American friends!_**

 ** _I'm literally doing nothing exciting... Except working an a final paper for one of my summer college courses... Woo hoo! :P_**

 ** _Anyways, back to Mystic Falls & the Scooby gang here we come! What trouble can they all get into? Guess we'll see!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	27. Return (Part One)

No One's POV

"You're upset. You're angry. Aren't you? You don't want me here." Eliza says quietly, Elijah remaining quiet and stoic as he drives from the airport to Mystic Falls in his BMW that was shipped with them.

"Nonsense. Of course I want you here, Elskan." Elijah answers, his fingers flexing slightly on the steering wheel, clearly telling a different story.

"You're still upset, though." Eliza points out with a sigh, shifting in the front seat of the car.

" _Worried_ , Eliza. I am only worried. For your safety. Do not think I do not want you here, with me." Elijah answers, jaw flexing slightly as he clenches his teeth together.

"And you think that Olivia and Lucas would let me get hurt? That _you_ would let me get hurt? It will be okay. I'll be okay." Eliza coaxes one hand off of the steering wheel to hold, giving Elijah a bit of a questioning look as if to tell him his worrying his ridiculous.

"I know they would not." Elijah sighs finally, hand relaxing ever so slightly in Eliza's. "I would not either."

The Gemini twins' bags were dropped at Alaric's apartment, along with one of Eliza's bags, half of her things staying with Elijah to move into the Mikaelson mansion, since the Original rarely strayed from her side now days anyway; so it would be presumingly no different now that they had returned to Mystic Falls.

"It would be futile for me to ask you to stay in the car, would it not?" Elijah asks is mate, the car turning off as they pull into the circular drive of the Mikaelson mansion.

"Obviously." Eliza nods.

Elijah simply sighs, car keys slipping into his pocket before he flashes over to Eliza's side to help her out like the gentleman he is.

"Then please stay beside me, Eliza." Elijah pleads, hand offered to his mate.

"Welcome home, broth-" Niklaus welcomes, turning from where he is looking out from the French doors in the living room, voice dying off when he catches sight of Elijah and Eliza.

" _Hello Niklaus_." Elijah answers back evenly, shifting ever so subtly in front of Eliza, the Gemini twins hovering behind.

"I see how it is… You've been… Otherwise, _busy_. _Business_ you said..." Niklaus' gaze shifts and hardens for a moment, gaze flicking over to Eliza, but otherwise showing no emotion.

"Eliza will be staying here with us. That shouldn't be a problem for you Niklaus?" Elijah states, voice indicating that it wasn't a question to be disputed. "Now, we've come to help. What is it that you need?"

"Of course not. You are family, Elijah. My home is your home after all." Niklaus claps, opening his arms in an almost over dramatic welcoming gesture. "Now, on to business…"

 _ **I apologize for the short chapter ya'll! I just needed a little something to:**_

 _ **1\. Move the story along/forward...**_

 _ **2\. To get my inspiration/plot bunnies moving again. As you can see, it is kind of moving towards the episode/canon of TVD. So it's not actually pointless!**_

 ** _Thank you for sticking with me!_**

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_


	28. Return (Part Two)

No One's POV

"Will you be alright here by yourself, Elskan?" Elijah questions, fixing the cuff of his dress shirt as he walks into the kitchen of the Mikaelson mansion the next morning.

"Wha- oh, yes. I'll be fine, 'Lijah." Eliza twirls around quickly, coffee pot in hand as she was about to pour water into the coffee maker to make herself coffee.

"Very well. Niklaus and I are off then. We should be back later this afternoon." Elijah informs, pulling his mate towards himself and into his embrace.

"Off to threaten the Scooby gang and wreak havoc on the town?" Eliza teases, quirking an eyebrow.

"Perhaps some." Elijah concedes, his own lips pulling up in amusement.

"Not too much. Leave some for your brother."

"Obviously. He'll be the one to do the most. I supervise." Elijah informs primly.

" _Obviously_." Eliza giggles.

" _Be safe_ , Eliza." Elijah says seriously, his expression once more sobering, fingers brushing along his mate's cheek tenderly.

"I'll be fine, Elijah. You worry too much." Eliza hugs the Original, head laying against his chest.

"And you don't worry enough." Elijah rumbles a little for his mate, lips pressing against her crown. "I will be back later." Then, in a flash of wind is gone.

Humming a little as coffee brews, Eliza selects a coffee mug and pours creamer into the cup, sitting on the bar stool in wait.

"Niklaus? Elijah?" A semi-familiar male's voice echoes through the foyer. "Rebekah? Anyone?"

"They're not here…" Eliza answers hesitantly, silently praying it wasn't one of the Salvatores, not that it sounded like the Salvatore brothers, but one could never be _too_ careful.

"Where are-" Finn walks into the where he hears the answering female voice only to stop immediately upon seeing his mate.

" _Eliza_."

"Niklaus and Elijah just left. In a matter of fact, you literally _just_ missed them. Rebekah is at school. I don't know where Kol is. Colorado I think? Niklaus said something about that yesterday… Umm, why are you- _hello?_ " Eliza hesitates again, Finn simply just staring at her with a rather startled, wide-eyed look.

" _Eliza_." Finn repeats.

"Uh, _yes?_ " Eliza answers, confusion in her tone.

"You're- _here_ … Back. What I mean is- I tried to look for you- your brother, Alaric, he said-" Finn stumbles out rather all at once, gaze then halting as the morning sun glints off of Eliza's ring.

" _You're engaged_." At that Finn's expression immediately closes, looking almost hurt and wounded, his inner animal snarling inside of him at the thought of his mate with someone _else_ other than him.

"What- _no_. I'm not. Well, umm, sort of… Elijah gave this to me. It's a- it's hard to explain…" Eliza immediately protests, then back peddles, fiddling with the ring, almost covering it with her right hand.

" _My brother?_ " Finn echoes.

"Yes… He just- wanted me to- to know how much he cared about me… We're not getting married any time soon…" Eliza thought she may want to melt into a pile of embarrassment right here and now.

I mean, how awkward to have to explain this to her boyfriend/mate's older brother, who also just happened to be her other past lover/mate? Honestly she was trying not to think about that or give herself a minor mental panic attack. It wasn't her fault she didn't remember her past lives after all. One of the many minor tragedies of being a phoenix.

"I see." Finn echoes again, the thought still leaving a sharp distaste in his mouth.

That was supposed to be _him_. She was supposed to be _his_.

But even then, his dreams had fallen to ashes.

 _11 Century A.D_

 _They had been your cliché star-crossed lovers of the day and age; Finn belonging to one village that sat on one side of the large valley, and Eliza belonging to the other village that sat on the other side of lush basin._

 _Thus, their meetings, once they had bumped into each other the one fateful afternoon while Eliza had been washing laundry and Finn had been tracking a deer, had all been in secrecy._

 _But a peace treaty had finally been made, after nearly a decade or more of tension; ironically brought about by the increase of deaths in the nearly by villages and larger towns, which Finn neither confirmed nor denied were his family's doing._

 _Finn felt euphoric, however, for now he could finally be with Eliza, could finally ask her father for her hand in marriage; possibly even run away with her and begin anew._

 _He entered the village still somewhat cautiously, the animal he had caught for Eliza's father neatly wrapped in fur, and the bracelet he had woven for Eliza tucked in his pocket._

 _But instead of what was the normal life of a village to greet him, children running around, hunting dogs barking, women chattering, an abnormal silence greeting him instead._

 _A smog of death permeated the village, Finn could smell it, nearly taste it in the air as it hung over the relatively modest hillside village._

 _"Eliza?" Finn utters softly, fear slowly settling in his veins._

 _Finn nearly snarled, not having heard a person approach from behind him._

 _"Are you searching for Eliza Bergstrom?" An older woman asks kindly._

 _"Yes."_

 _"Come, she is this way, young man." The lady beckons._

 _Finn follows without complaint, arriving shortly at a well-made house, the wooden boards smoothed over with mud, cracks stuffed with straw, and nails driven in deeply._

 _"You must be Finn Mikaelson."_

 _"Yes, sir. I-" Finn begins automatically, offering his hand._

 _"Come in, please. I am Eliza's father, Aaron." Eliza's father waves off, opening the thatch door to the house wider for Finn._

 _"Thank you, sir." Finn bows his head respectfully, confused to why Eliza's father was so welcoming._

 _"Eliza is not doing well." Aaron finally reveals softly. "She would want to see you."_

 _" **Eliza**." Finn hears himself say, the things he was carrying in his arms dropping to the floor as he rushes to her bedside; Eliza looked weaker than he had ever seen her, her face sallow from fever, sweat covering her forehead, and hair matted to it._

 _"Finn?" Eliza whispers._

 _"I am here." Finn whispers back, taking her hand carefully from where she moves it from under the pile of furs._

 _"What- what is wrong?" Finn asks, turning to look at Eliza's mother and father._

 _"The disease has wiped out many in our village. It swept through quickly." Aaron answers quietly. "We- we do not know."_

 _Finn swallows, turning to look back at his mate, his fingers gripping tighter at Eliza._

 _"Eliza-" Finn begins, voice cracking painfully._

 _"I know-" Eliza whispers, voice weak. "This- this isn't what I wanted. I- I wanted more time. I- I wanted the life we envisioned together."_

 _"I can- I can save you." Finn whispers quietly, forehead pressing against hers a bit shakily, wanting nothing more than to be with his mate forever, even if he abhorred what his mother had created him to be; Eliza made him want to be better, to be something more than the mindless monster that he had previously believed himself to be. "We can- it will be- we can be together. **Forever**. If you wish. I will build you the house on the hill in the meadow…"_

 _"Hmm. Sounds- sounds wonderful, Finn…" Eliza hums softly, fingers weakly gripping at his own._

 _"I can save her." Finn replies, turning to Eliza's parents with firm determination. "Let me save her."_

 _"How-" Aaron begins to speak._

 _" **Anything**. Save her. **Please**." Eliza's mother pleads, her eyes showing an understanding or gleam that only mother's had._

 _"I will do my best."_

 _Eliza's mother lets out a small sob, before looking at her daughter tearfully one last time, Aaron leading her out of the small room to give Finn and Eliza privacy._

 _"Will it hurt?" Eliza coughs weakly._

 _"No, my love. I will make sure it does not." Finn promises, lips ghosting across her forehead one last time._

 _Wrist gently pressed to her mouth to help her drink, Finn holds her close, his own eyes closed shut for a moment before he breathes deep, snapping her neck a second later._

 _Whether it was because the disease was too strong in her mortal body and Finn's blood was not enough to heal her, or unknown supernatural forces were at play, the eldest Original would never know, but Eliza would only wake for mere moments before dying._

 _And in the ashes of a pyre, Finn would lay his mate to rest._

 _Days later, the Mikaelsons would leave the small village where they had resided, the small European village too quaint and quiet for them;_ _Finn didn't mind, he hadn't cared since his mate had gone up in flames, after all, there was nothing left for him in this world._

"Ummm… Finn?" Eliza's voice cuts into his memories.

"Yes, I- I apologize. You were saying something?" Finn coughs lightly.

"I was only asking if you'd like to join me. I'm making coffee." Eliza hesitantly offers with a smile, wondering just exactly what had distracted the eldest Original to make him look at her for so long.

"I'd love to Eliza."

 ** _Hello everyone,_**

 ** _Just so you know, if you weren't already aware, I'm finally updating The Hollow Crown! So, if you have been reading The Ties That Bind series, lucky for you! (: Go check it out._**

 ** _Also, I'm going on another vacation. So, I look forward to seeing you on the flip side!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	29. Attempted Murder of One (Part One)

No One's POV

"So…" Eliza begins, idly swishing her coffee in her coffee cup to stir in her coffee syrup, sitting on the bar stool in the Mikaelson kitchen, Finn still a bit unsure and awkward in his mate's presence, not knowing how exactly to begin a conversation; thankfully Eliza had no such problems. "You said you left? But you're back… What made you return?"

"Niklaus asked me to return. I am not completely sure what he needs assistance with, however." Finn replies.

"Oh, I see. He asked Elijah to return as well." Eliza nods in understanding. "Well, are you do anything today?"

"Not as of yet." Finn shakes his head.

"Well, how about we go into town? Just for a little bit. 'Lijah and Nik won't be back with- with whatever top secret torture or shenanigans they are up to today for a while, and I'm going to be bored out of my mind if I stay cooped up here. So, do you want to come with me? Perhaps you can tell me some stories, I'm sure you have some from when you were here centuries ago."

"I would love to join you, Eliza." Finn smiles, silently pleased that his mate seemed to be wanting to spend time with him, even if she was with his younger brother.

"Great! Just let me finish getting ready!" Eliza bounces back upstairs.

Eliza and Finn walked through the Town Square of Mystic Falls, the sun rays and crisp air of the early winter afternoon around them, making it a brisk, but pleasant afternoon.

"Bonnie, we're starting to worry about you. Call me back or call Caroline. Just call someone, please." Elena speaks into her phone, finally hanging up her cell and walking up to Caroline and Matt. "Hey, is it weird that Bonnie's not returning my calls?"

"Is it weird that Klaus' brother is in the middle of Town Square?" Matt questions instead, head nodding towards Finn and Eliza walking together.

"That's Finn. I thought he left town." Elena comments, to which Caroline moves her hair from ear to listen into Finn and Eliza's conversation from across the far side of the Town Square.

"If memory serves me-" Finn begins, pointing to the middle of Mystic Falls' Town Square. "This is where the Natives use to make sacrifices to their Gods."

"It must be so strange to be back here… After so many centuries." Eliza makes conversation, looking over to the point where Finn had gestured.

"Hmm. In some ways." Finn simply nods once, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Now come on, let's go to the Grill. They have some pretty good food and perhaps you can tell me stories about our time together. I mean… If you'd like."

"They're going to the Grill." Caroline informs, hair swishing back over her ear. "And- I think- they- they have history… Or something. I'm not quite sure. It doesn't seem like they are in a relationship right now. It's- it doesn't really make sense. I can hear that girl's heartbeat. So- so that doesn't really make any sense. But anyways, they're going to the Grill."

"Well, I'm on shift soon. So I can keep an eye on them." Matt informs.

"And I'll call Stefan, see if we can draw Finn out. He seems like he'd be the easiest to draw out. Especially if he is with a human." Elena adds in, the trio dispersing a moment later to plan.

"So, what do you think of the 21st century so far? Did you see much when you were traveling?" Eliza asks conversationally as they sit in the Grill, Finn drinking a bourbon and Eliza sipping on a Sprite; while she was over 21, it was only early afternoon and she didn't feel like drinking alcohol quite yet.

"I traveled some, to Europe, where we met. I thought- I thought you may have returned…" Finn trails off a little self-consciously. "I saw some things. And am truly awed by the revolution of mankind." Finn answers Eliza's other question finally.

"Well, then perhaps we should make a toast. To you living your life to the fullest." Eliza suggests.

"To living life." Finn clinks his glass against hers, smiling lightly at his mate before taking a sip only to spit his drink back up, choking as vervain burning his throat.

"Finn?" Eliza asks, looking sincerely concerned.

" _Vervain_." Finn chokes again, the youngest Salvatore practically pouring a bottle of it in the eldest Mikaelson's drink, unknown to Finn or Eliza.

"Are you- do I need to do something? Can you walk?" Eliza asks unsure, hand coming out to reach for his hand instinctively, then drawing back, not sure what she was supposed to do; sure vervain couldn't kill the Originals, but she was certain it hurt, especially considering Finn's reaction just a moment ago.

"No- I am alright." Finn waves off, gaze already scanning for the culprit of who could have put vervain in his drink. "There." He nods, meeting Stefan's gaze and watching the youngest Salvatore walk out of the Grill.

"Alright." Eliza follows the eldest Original out of the Grill, not sure what else to do but trusting Finn.

Exiting the Grill, Stefan immediately ambushes Eliza and Finn, Finn dodging the youngest Salvatore and throwing him away from Eliza, his inner animal already feeling more out of control than normal with his mate in close proximity to danger.

"Eliza, _go!_ " Finn growls, pinning Stefan to the ground, veins forming under his eyes as he grapples a little for the stake, it falling from Stefan's hand, however.

Eliza ignores Finn, instead going to retrieve the stake, but before she could, both Elena and Matt burst out the back door situated in the alleyway adjacent to where Finn, Stefan, and Eliza were; Elena aiming a crossbow their direction and Matt with a stake cuff.

"It's me they want, Eliza. **_ELIZA, GO!_** " Finn nearly screams, his scream a roar of desperation, snapping Stefan's neck swiftly before he's charging the doppelganger and other teenager.

"No- no, I'm not leaving you, Finn." Eliza shakes her head stubbornly; Finn was indirectly family after all, Elijah's family, and she shared a past with him, even if she didn't remember it (she barely remembered her past with Elijah), either way, she wasn't just going to leave him at the mercy of the doppel _wench_ and her idiot friends playing some sort of cops and robbers.

"This doesn't concern you, you should leave." Elena offers, as if she's being terribly considerate; Eliza could gag.

"And, you're just the poor, _pathetic_ , **orphan** girl my brother took **_pity_** on. I'm his **_actual_** sister." Eliza snaps, nearly rolling her eyes out of her skull, usually not one for tasteless barbs, but completely a million and one times over the Petrova doppelganger's bitchy attitude. "So, I would _shut up_ while I still had the opportunity. Unless you'd _like_ your jugular ripped out of your neck by Finn."

Elena simply opens and closes her mouth in shock, looking like a gapping fish out of water, as if stunned that someone would talk to her like that.

" _Eliza_." Finn warns, not quite certain what he was warning her of; perhaps his precarious held state or that she should heed his warning and do as he asked, or a combination of them.

"I'm not leaving, Finn Mikaelson. Get over it." Eliza rolls her eyes again with a huff.

Finn growls a little, pacing in a tight circle as he eyes the doppelganger and the bus boy of the Mystic Falls' Grill distrustfully, calculating his moves carefully as to not get his long lost mate stuck in the cross hairs.

Matt, however, reacted a little less stupidly than the doppelganger, or one could make an argument for _more_ stupidly, since he did react, turning his weapon from the eldest Original towards Eliza, realizing that Finn was protecting Eliza; Finn charged a second later.

" _Finn!_ " Eliza shouts, feeling like she was watching things in slow motion; the irritating, selfish, self-serving, petty doppelganger's crossbow release, impaling Finn, and Matt immediately turning his aim away from her, as if his temporarily target was merely a distraction to get Finn to charge.

"No!" Eliza determinedly charges the football player, intent on doing something, although she wasn't sure what.

" ** _Enough!_** _Stop!_ " Bonnie shouts, suddenly appearing in the exit way of the alleyway, blocking it, looking winded as if she had run the whole way, but still stubbornly determined to do something, her hands coming out in front of her.

 ** _Wow... So it's been a while on all my stories! Hopefully the writing gods will look favorably on me for a while! Haha!_**

 ** _Also, where did all my reviewers go? They all like disappeared?_**

 ** _I do want to write a special thanks to: xoxi, NicoleR85, Fanficqueen306, & CrystalVixen93. You guys always review & it's SO awesome! I love you guys so much! It is very encouraging to see them. Reviews really keep me motivated!_**

 ** _Much love,_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	30. Attempted Murder of One (Part Two)

No One's POV

" ** _Enough!_** _Stop!_ " Bonnie shouts, suddenly appearing in the exit way of the alleyway, blocking it, looking winded as if she had run the whole way, but still stubbornly determined to do something, her hands coming out in front of her.

Finn crumpled from Bonnie's blast of magic, dropping to the ground to grip his head in pain; an aneurism spell if Eliza was guessing correctly, a spell that would take, at least on an Original, quite a bit of power, since their mind was so much stronger to over power.

"Bonnie!" Elena shouts in recognition, lowering her crossbow as she recognizes her friend and was happy to see her. "Where have you been?"

"I was- _held up_." Bonnie mutters a bit bitterly, her face held in firm concentration as her hands are kept out in front of her.

Privately, Eliza wonders if that was what Niklaus and Elijah were doing today, talking (or torturing) the Bennett witch.

"What is your issue, _witch?_ " Eliza snaps, moving to help Finn while the doppelganger was distracted, perhaps to her fool hearted bravery (at least she was _trying_ to help); however, before she could make it over to help Finn, was thrown back herself, landing on the ground of the alleyway.

"Owe." Eliza huffs lightly, catching her palms on a few stray rocks and scratching them lightly.

" _Big mistake_." Bonnie mutters, clenching her teeth a little as she throws her powers a little forcefully and erratically, not quite in control of her new Expression powers that Professor Shane had begun to show her.

" _No, **Bennett witch**_." Lucas' voice, hard as steel and cold as ice on the tundra, is heard from behind Bonnie. "That was a **_big mistake_**."

"And just who do you think _you_ are?" Bonnie asks, turning her nose a little as if she had smelled something particularly unpleasant or was extremely stuck up and self-assured of her powers; ironic since in her slight distraction, had dropped her concentration towards Finn.

" _Eliza!_ " Finn rushes towards Eliza, carefully helping her up as if she was made of the finest China. "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine, Finn. Just a few scratches." Eliza brushes a few small stray pieces of gravel off her palms, barely even bleeding.

" _Who are we?_ " Olivia repeats, eyebrow raised in challenge as if what the Bennett witch asked was the stupidest question she could have asked; she probably would have rolled her eyes if the situation wasn't more serious than it was.

"We, Bennett witch-" The twins begin together, both raising their hands chest level and palms out. "Are your **_reckoning_**."

"You can't control me. No one does anymore. I belong to myself." Bonnie replies firmly, her own hand raising in defense.

The Gemini twins nearly scoff at that, just who does this fucking little witch think she is? God's greatest gift to the world?

Electricity could practically be tasted in the air, wind currents shifting in the air as nature began to charge with the power of the Gemini twins.

"You will **_always_** belong to Nature, _Bennett witch_." The Gemini twins respond, their voices nearly echoing together in a haunting resonance and stereo, their voices somehow stronger as their powers flickered between their fingers, flashes of light snapping in the natural currents of the nature and laws that bound their own powers, despite the fact that they could literally bend reality to their will.

"And if you think differently, then perhaps we should **_take_** them." Lucas offers casually, voice taking on a firm, tight control, but a type of nonchalance as if he was discussing the weather or what he wanted to eat for breakfast.

"You can't do that!" Bonnie protests, hand waving out in front of her as if to throw a spell.

" ** _Watch. Us_**." Lucas reacts first, simply waiting for the Bennett witch to move first.

"Shit- _Duck!_ " Eliza grabs Finn, shoving Finn down to the ground as she flattens herself to the ground.

Each having one raised and the other held together for better connection to each other, their eyes flash slightly as if daring any to challenge them, wind swirling through Olivia's hair, blowing it back, and wind also ruffling through Lucas' hair that was cut just mid-forehead, their magic swirled through the air in flashes of light, snapping and cracking around the trio of witches, nearly arching in a dome before it finally settled.

"Fuck… That was- that was some _Harry Potter_ shit." Eliza groans, laying an arm over her eyes as she simply decides to lay on the ground for a moment longer.

"You're such a _nerd_." Lucas mutters, walking over to his best friend. "And you know, this wouldn't have to happen if you'd stop getting yourself into this stuff. Alaric is going to kill us. I mean, definitely kill us this time."

"Did you banish her?"

"Too much work. Besides, we need like- a moon or something." Lucas shrugs. "Didn't you listen to our father?"

"I did. But you are the two most powerful witches of your coven… And you're telling me that you can bend reality, but the _moon_ stops you?" Eliza takes Lucas' hand as he helps her up, Finn prowling a bit around the Gemini witches and his mate, still tense from everything.

"No… But it's _easier_."

"So you're lazy? That's what I'm hearing?" Eliza quirks an eyebrow.

"Uh- I take full offense to that." Lucas retorts.

Eliza just grins angelically.

"What- what did you do?" Bonnie screeches, moving towards the four as she attempts to lash out with her magic.

"Took your magic. What did you expect? Did you not hear us, _witch?_ Did she not hear us, sister? Does she have _hearing_ problems or something?" Lucas sasses with an eye roll, then turns to his sister to ask the rhetorical question, as if what Bonnie just asked was the dumbest question alive, Eliza doing her best not to burst out laughing.

"What- you- you can't!" Bonnie looks as if she was about to burst out crying.

"Ummm, yeah. I think we just _did_." Lucas gives another eye rolls; were these teenagers that dense?

"We can. By our laws, the very ones, that yes, you very much are beholden to, we can." Olivia retorts dryly, not going to dignify herself to a whiny teenager who clearly didn't deserve the powers she was given.

"Give it back!" Elena demands.

"I'm sorry, and who are you?" Lucas points out, at this point Eliza nearly wheezing so bad it hurt.

" _Elskan_." Elijah breezes into the alleyway, having now tracked down his mate with his brother.

"Elijah!" Eliza perks up.

"What- what is going on here?" Elijah pauses as he looks at the situation and evaluates it.

"Uh… Nothing. Just- just a little disagreement between enemies. I'm fine! Luke and Liv fixed it!" Eliza smiles innocently at Elijah.

" _I see_." Elijah deadpans, then turning to the Bennett witch speculatively, gaze briefly roaming over the others, including the Petrova doppelganger and her friends; nothing good ever happened when they were around, he would have to ask Eliza more about it later, or perhaps the Gemini twins, they would be more apt to tell him the truth, Eliza didn't like him to worry.

" _Bonnie Bennett_." Niklaus prowls into the alleyway. "We have some _unfinished_ business. My brother and I do **_not_** appreciate your little stunt earlier.

"I can't help you." Bonnie replies.

" _Can't?_ Or **_won't?_** " Niklaus growls, eyes turning dark, flashing towards the witch in an aggressive posturing.

"Can't! I can't! _I promise!_ " Bonnie looks terrified at the Hybrid's aggressive form. "I- I can't! _Please_ \- please don't hurt Jeremy!"

"Hmm…" Niklaus hums thoughtfully.

"Ugh… We're going to regret this Olivia." Lucas mutters to his sister. "But- what do you need, Klaus?"

 ** _So... I know a few of you wondered why Bonnie stopped Elena & Matt... Well, this may have not been the outcome you were expecting._**

 ** _But, no redemption for our Scooby gang! They are still morons! Personally, I actually liked Bonnie a lot when she first started in TVD. She was the nice one! But as she went along, she became almost power hungry, too self-important, & thought too highly of herself in TVD as the seasons went along. They basically made her "do no wrong" & what was with her being the most powerful witch in TVD & even TO? Seriously, the Bennett line wasn't that powerful!? The Gemini twins were wayyy better! At least in theory. They trashed them too... Because clearly Pec cannot freaking WRITE!_**

 ** _On the other hand, I started out really NOT liking Caroline, but as she developed I ended up really loving her! Of course, TVD when to hell in a hand basket after like season 5... But let's just pretend that it doesn't exist after that... HAHA! Anyways, I actually liked Caroline more than I ever thought I would by the time I stopped watching TVD._**

 ** _Anyways, my little cinnamon roll Finn. But also, I seriously love some bad ass Luke & Liv!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	31. The Ties That Bind (Part One)

_**Sexual Content Warning**_

No One's POV

"Laric… Yes, _I'm fine_. Really. Liv and Luke were there." Eliza promises over the phone, Eliza and Elijah driving in his BMW back to the Mikaelson mansion. " _Seriously_ , 'Laric. There's no need to freak out or murder anyone, big brother."

" _Eliza_." Alaric stresses, Elijah hearing Alaric Saltzman's voice over the phone, clearly the Hunter not pleased with having heard what went down only 20 minutes prior; Elijah wasn't pleased either, mostly because he hadn't been there to protect her.

"I'm _okay_. You're going to worry yourself into a heart attack or an aneurism… Luke and Liv were there. And, believe it or not. Finn, nor any of the other Originals weren't going to let anything happen. I'm safe. I'm sure you can stop by the Mikaelson mansion to mother hen over me later. I'm driving back right now with 'Lijah." Eliza calms her older brother down, quickly glancing at Elijah in a questioning manner.

"I will ensure that neither of my siblings attempt to engage in a war with Alaric." Elijah comments, lips hinting in a smirk.

"Lijah just said it was okay." Eliza confirms.

"I'll be there." Alaric states firmly.

"Now, wanna bet fifty bucks the doppeltwit calls you in 5 minutes or storms over complaining that Luke and Liv took the Scarlett Witch's powers, 'Laric?" Eliza giggles.

" _Eliza!_ " Alaric groans.

"What? I'm just saying." Eliza giggles innocently. "She was pissed. And they are all self-entitled. But think that you can magically solve all their problems. Don't deny it, big brother."

"I hate you sometimes, Eliza." Alaric deadpans.

"Love you too, Alaric." Eliza giggles again.

"I'll see you later, Eliza… I think I just heard a knock." Alaric sighs.

"Have fun with the Scooby gang." Eliza says all too gleefully.

" _You're the worst._ " Alaric mutters before hanging up.

"I'm was so right." Eliza mutters to herself, sliding her phone back into her pocket.

Suddenly Elijah veers his car off the road, nearly slamming on the breaks as soon as he hit gravel, Eliza latching onto the door handle to steady herself so she didn't slam into the front dashboard.

" _Elijah!_ " Eliza chastises, looking at the Original startled and concerned.

Elijah is out of the car within moments, pulling open her door and unclicking her seatbelt.

"What the-" Eliza is silenced by Elijah descending onto her, his mouth silencing hers with a kiss.

"Elijah- Elijah what- hey…" Eliza murmurs, gently pressing a hand to his chest, halting his rather aggressive movements and assault on her; not that she particularly minded. "What's wrong, 'Lijah?"

"I could have- I could have _lost_ you." Elijah breathes, his nose pressed deeply into her neck, scenting her and feeling her pulse thrum beneath her skin, alive and well. "I could have lost you again. And- and I would have not been there to save you."

" _Oh_." Eliza realizes, mouth opening to a perfect 'o' shape.

"Lijah… Sweetie… _You didn't_." Eliza whispers, arms coming around him securely, pressing into him firmly.

"But I almost did." Elijah murmurs again, lips touching the hollow beneath her collar bone, arms wrapped securely around her as if he believed she would disappear before his very eyes.

"But you _didn't_." Eliza reminds, voice soft, reassuring; perfectly content to keep reminding him if that was what it took.

How many times, she wondered, did her death replay in his mind? How many years, decades, did the wound of her dying, remain unhealed?

"I _love_ you, Eliza. And I- I cannot- I could not- not again." Elijah whispers, lips moving to press against hers in a deeply fierce, passionate, and possessive kiss, their eyes both slipping closed instinctively.

"You _won't_." Eliza promises, her fingers smoothing through Elijah's hair.

Elijah growled slightly, his fingers digging into her hips, pressing her back against his car, his hips pushing suggestively against hers.

"You deserve better than this." Elijah hesitates, his hands shifting, pausing his motions, clearly his gentleman instincts breaking through his inner animal's wishes and needs.

"Elijah-" Eliza pauses Elijah. "I'm sure you are ever the romantic, with roses, nice music, and a fancy dinner, romantic walk or something. And I would appreciate that. I do like that. But I understand."

Elijah snapped, his inner animal shifting beneath his eyes, Eliza shifted backwards against the car and pushed up, clothes quickly discarded and thrown behind the Original in his haste.

" _Jesus_." Eliza swears lightly, Elijah thrusting into his mate with singular focus and force, sinking into her, and not stopping until he was buried deep and seated fully within her, filling her to the hilt.

" _Elskan_." Elijah growls, fingers flexing, one hand gripping her hip, sliding her legs around him, and the other placed against the window of his car for leverage.

" ** _Eliza_**." Elijah breathes breathlessly, feeling his mate practically consume him, drowned him; it was as if every other moment in his life, every single second, day, year, decade before her, ceased to matter.

Eliza was his world, his very breathe, his very blood in his veins, his very heart, his _soul_. And without her, his life ceased to matter, ceased to _be_. He would gladly drowned in her presence.

"Shhh, I'm here, Elijah. I'm here." Eliza whispers, fingers tracing Elijah's jaw line.

" ** _Mine_**." Elijah growls lightly, fangs dragging lightly against the tantalizing expanse of his mate's neck.

" _Yours_." Eliza calms.

Elijah simply rumbles a little more, shifting his weight to balance Eliza against him, hips snapping forward, driving himself into his mate, pushing them both towards the edge.

" _Lijah_." Eliza pants a little, feeling Elijah spill into her, release flooding her in waves, thick coils flowing into her.

" _Mine_." Elijah snuffles, shifting tighter against his mate as if it could physically fuse them together, fangs latching onto her neck to mark his mate; bursts of flavor nearly threatening to overload his brain, her blood was the finest wine, the sweetest dessert, the most delectable meal he had ever tasted.

"I'm sorry." Elijah murmurs, his hands tracing idly against Eliza's skin along her side.

" _What?_ " Eliza questions, looking up at the second oldest Original. "Why- why are you sorry?"

"You- I shouldn't have- you deserve better than this… I should have controlled myself." Elijah looks ashamed of himself.

"Elijah…" Eliza murmurs gently. "Don't be sorry. Unless you regret this. Then I'll slap you. But, I understand. You _needed_ this. And it's not like I protested. You would have stopped if I wanted you to. But I didn't. I understand that there is a side of you that is fiercely possessive, protective, and needs that assurance sometimes. While I love your other side, the one you show all the time. It's okay to have the more- more primal side. _I understand._ " Eliza emphasizes, hand pressed firmly against his chest, directly over his heart.

"Thank you, Eliza. I don't regret it. Never, with you." Elijah arches his head down to press a kiss to his mate and nuzzle her. "I love you, my dearest Eliza."

"Besides, you can make it up to me by cuddling when we're back home." Eliza smiles.

"Of course." Elijah smiles, fingers pressing a little into Eliza's hips, reveling in how she arches into him.

"Come on, as much as I'm sure you'd love for me to stay undressed…" Eliza smirks playfully. "We should get going. Luke and Liv are probably worried and wondering where I am by now."

 ** _The plot bunnies & writing gods finally bestowed a gift upon me. HAHA!_**

 ** _However, I've got to say... I was not expecting this... *waves hands*_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	32. The Ties That Bind (Part Two)

No One's POV

A knock on the door interrupted Alaric's call with his sister, more aptly, however, it could be described as a pounding on his door at least that was what it sounded like.

"I'll see you later, Eliza… I think I just heard a knock." Alaric sighs, already questioning his sanity and why his younger sister by 11 years had to be proven correct.

"Have fun with the Scooby gang." Eliza says all too gleefully, the sass obvious in her tone and more than happy to be proven right.

" _You're the worst._ " Alaric mutters before hanging up, sliding his cell into his pocket and walking to the door to open it.

"Elena-" Alaric opens the door.

"Why didn't you tell me- us, you had a _sister?_ " Elena demands, the rest of the "Scooby gang" as his sister had tagged them barging in past him.

"Come in…" Alaric deadpans, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, and Stefan all tromping into his small apartment; well, it was small in comparison to the Salvatore Boarding House and with the large group in his house now, he didn't have that much space.

"Because. Am I not allowed to have a private life, Elena?" Alaric crosses his arms defensively. "And, besides. It wasn't all that important. She's kept out of the supernatural world for a reason. As much as possible at least. Mystic Falls… In case you haven't noticed, is _dangerous_. It **_attracts_** the supernatural. The Originals, ring any bells? Or even the Salvatore brothers?" At this Alaric raises his eyebrows a little challenging.

"You're a Hunter." Elena shrieks a little, flailing her arms.

"Yes. I did so out of necessity, a little obsession, admittedly. But most of all to protect people. So, next question out of this little _inquisition_." Alaric adds, sighing. " _What do you want from me?_ "

"We just ran into her! And she's- she's… **_Ugh_**. She's involved with the _Mikaelsons!_ " Elena stomps, throwing her hands up into the air. "And they're- well, you know! The Mikaelsons! **_The Originals!_** You've got to do something Alaric! And she's with these witches… They **_took_** Bonnie's magic!"

Alaric hated when his sister was right about these things. Now, Eliza's words from the phone call moments ago ring in his ears. _Wanna bet fifty bucks the doppeltwit calls you in 5 minutes or storms over complaining that Luke and Liv took the Scarlett Witch's powers, 'Laric?_

"Hmm. I see." Alaric answers a little impassively, nodding along to Elena's temper tantrum, now understanding what his sister was meaning; Elena's complaining wasn't attractive.

He swears his sister's words were coming back to haunt him… _They are all self-entitled. But think that you can magically solve all their problems. Don't deny it, big brother._ Yes, he officially hated when his sister was right.

"So?" Elena asks, crossing her arms.

"Well, I'm not sure what I can do, Elena." Alaric shrugs.

"Aren't you going to help us?" Caroline asks, looking confused.

"She's my sister, Caroline." Alaric deadpans.

"But, Alaric…" Elena protests.

"She called me." Alaric cuts off the doppelganger. "You turned a _crossbow_ on her. And you, Bonnie, threw a _spell_ at her… _She's my sister_. So, **_no_**. I'm not going to help you. Attempt to do… Whatever half-cocked plan you are attempting to do to take down the Originals."

"I care about you. All of you. Truly. And Elena, you've become, something of like a daughter to me. After all, you were Isobel's child. But this… I cannot help you with." Alaric shake his head, looking at them all with disappointment; he truly thought they were better than this. "Revenge and bitterness. I can tell you from experience. Doesn't do any good. It will **_destroy_** all of you. It will **_consume_** you." Alaric continues.

" _They took Bonnie's magic!_ " Elena cries, beginning to cry, and for once Alaric not trusting if it was true tears or crocodile tears, Bonnie having been curled a little into herself, looking quite shaken and a shell of her former self; maybe, Alaric thought, this was enough to knock her down a peg or two, teach her humility and modesty.

"I know." Alaric says. "But they had that right. If they did so, then they had the right and the power to do so. I know that coven. And I trust them to take care of my sister."

"So you're not going to do a thing?" Elena states, looking at Alaric in disbelief and annoyance. "You're choosing them? The enemy? After everything they've done to us? _To me?_ "

"That's hardly fair, Elena." Alaric shakes his head, sighing at Elena's dramatics, which for the first time he sees what it is truly.

"No. That's what you're doing! You're _choosing_ them!" Elena cries, tone rising to hysterics. "Choose, it's me or them. Take your pick."

Alaric purses his lips a little, disliking what Elena was clearly attempting to force him to do, but he wasn't about to turn his back on his sister, his blood, his last remaining family.

"If that's what you really think, Elena…" Alaric sighs, then starring straight at Elena. "T-H-E-M. Them. Get the picture?"

Elena stares at Alaric shocked, then letting out a large huff, stomping once before bursting out into tears, turning into Stefan.

"You should leave now." Alaric says a little impassively. "I need to see my sister."

"We got…" Eliza trails off for a moment. "Sidetracked."

" _Sidetracked_." Lucas deadpans, then looking at the BMW and the cracked window where Elijah's hand had managed to fracture the back window where his strength had pressed too tightly against it in his haste to not hurt his mate. "That's what we're calling it these days, huh? I see." At that Lucas snorts.

"Shut up, Luke." Eliza glares, cheeks getting red, Elijah coming up behind his mate and herding her towards the mansion, his body an imposing and dominating force as the Original presses close, not wanting any space between them.

"I didn't say anything." Lucas grins. "Oh, and Alaric is here. So you may want to come in before someone starts trying to murder someone."

" _Awesome_." Eliza groans lightly.

"Your brother will not come to harm, Elskan." Elijah promises, his fingers skimming lightly under the hem of Eliza's shirt to calm her.

"Ugh, are you two going to be sappier than normal?" Lucas complains, leading the two back into the mansion.

"Just to annoy you, obviously." Eliza grins, cupping Elijah's jaw and kissing the Original soundly, making Elijah purr a little, tilting into her touch.

"Clearly I don't know why I put up with you or why I offer to help you." Lucas continues to complain light heartedly as they walk into the foyer and towards living room. "I should start carrying a squirt bottle around."

"Liza!" Alaric jumps up upon setting his eyes on his sister.

" _Laric!_ " Eliza runs and jumps into Alaric's arms, Alaric catching her weight as she barrels into him.

"Thank you, Elijah." Alaric looks at Elijah seriously from over Eliza's head. "For bringing her back safely."

"It's not like we helped or anything…" Lucas mutters lowly, rolling his eyes from where he stands, folding himself boneless into the couch where his sister Olivia already lounged.

"Finn protected me too, Alaric." Eliza points out logically. "And so did Liv and Luke."

"Then, thank you. Everyone." Alaric amends, holding his sister tightly. "I know Luke and Liv would protect you." Alaric mutters a little, his head resting on his sister's, it was the Originals he was more than a little wary of when it came to the protection of his sister.

"So… Now that everything is all good and dandy… Can we get onto business?" Niklaus claps his hands, looking a little agitated.

"And what business is that?" Eliza straightens up.

"They are bound together as one. What happens to one, happens to all." Olivia explains, hoping up from her seat on the couch.

"Oh." Eliza worries, looking to Elijah.

"And, there is a White Oak stake, the only weapon able to kill us, in the hands of our _enemies_ ready to strike at any moment." Niklaus paces.

"Do not worry, Elskan. We are working on fixing the issue." Elijah walks over to his mate, fingers brushing along her arm.

"That's what you were doing with Nik earlier." Eliza states.

"Yes. But now the Bennett witch cannot do it." Elijah answers.

"But we can. It's an easy spell. We could have done this in elementary school." Lucas flips his hand errantly, joining his sister over the coffee table.

"Well, then? What are we waiting for?" Niklaus asks impatiently, pacing a little like a caged animal.

"Things like this take a little patience, Hybrid. To do things right. We're not your personal witches. We do things out of favor for Eliza." Olivia snaps. "So, now… Let's undo the ties that bind your family."

 ** _That's awesome that someone found me on Pinterest! Lols. Sorry that this story's board wasn't finished! It is now!_**

 ** _Anyways, Doutzen Kroes is who I picture as Eliza Saltzman._**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	33. Staking Claim (Part One)

No One's POV

"It's done." Olivia announces, she and Lucas breaking their connection, the pools of blood from the Original siblings separating into different sections across the family tree that had been drawn; the direct opposite of what the Original Witch had done to create the bond between the siblings in the first place.

"Are you positive?" Elijah asks.

"We're _positive_." Lucas deadpans. "If you'd _like_ to try to _stake_ your sibling, be our guest. But we've done our job. The Original Witch made the spell so that any physical harm that happens to one sibling would impact any other. She needed no other intention. She wanted to _weaken_ you… She wanted you **_dead_** … So, that would include any injury, maiming, mutilation, or death... And, whatever other thing of that nature you _creative_ **psychopaths** want to include on that list…"

Eliza snorts lightly, laughing at her best friend's snark.

"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days, Luke." Eliza giggles.

"Well, it hasn't happened yet." Lucas snarks back. "Besides, I'm too adorable."

"The day is young, warlock." Niklaus mutters, stalking around the room to grab a chair, breaking off a leg and hurling it at Finn.

" _We're surrounded by psychopaths._ " Lucas mutters, both Olivia and Lucas shielding Eliza instinctively.

"Niklaus." Elijah sighs, frowning disapprovingly.

"What?" Niklaus says innocently, Finn picking the make shift stake out of his shoulder; clearly the spell working, the ties between the siblings broken.

"You just had to egg him on." Eliza sighs, rolling her eyes sassily, Alaric too looking a little wearied by the Gemini sibling's antics as if he had put up with it one too many times (he had).

"Well…" Lucas grins.

"I think that's enough excitement for the day." Elijah says primly, gently put a hand on Eliza's lower back to guide her upstairs.

"Eliza." Finn asks quietly, catching Eliza as she walks down the hallway towards her and Elijah's room; Finn had just come out of his own room, freshly changed since Niklaus had so rudely staked him in attempts to test the validity of Gemini twins breaking Esther's binding spell.

"Yes, Finn?" Eliza answers, turning towards the eldest Original.

"I wish to- thank you…" Finn begins, unsure how to properly thank Eliza, the doppelganger, incarnation, image of his long lost mate, he wasn't quite sure what she was, only that he was inexplicably drawn to her in ways he could not explain or fully put into words. "For what you did today, earlier, I mean…"

"Oh… Finn, you don't- you don't have to." Eliza shakes her head. "You're Elijah's brother, family. And-"

"I want to, Eliza." Finn interrupts politely. "You mean- perhaps this doesn't mean anything to you, Eliza. But this- this was always meant for you. And I wish you to have it." Finn gently offers a thin box to Eliza.

Curiously, as always, Eliza opens the box, clearly holding some piece of jewelry.

The piece was simple, a bracelet from older times; leather woven together and interlaced around a simple crest, the Mikaelson crest.

Memories slammed together in Eliza's mind like a jumbled kaleidoscope.

" _Eliza!_ " Finn's voice fades.

 _11 Century A.D_

 _The meadow stream was quiet and peaceful, a calm sort of tranquility Eliza cherished. While her small village was in of itself, peaceful as well, Eliza prized the time she spent by herself as well, away from the monotonous and tedious village life that she was surrounded by every day._

 _Her father was a generous, well-respected, confident, and assertive sort of man, who held a high position in the village, while her mother was calm, assuring, and dutiful, everything a woman should be in the time period._

 _Because of her father's status Eliza was therefore sought after herself, for her hand in marriage, but Eliza didn't want that; she didn't want to be just another prize, another dutiful, subservient housewife, married to a brute of a husband who cared little about her, only the image of who she was or rather, pretended to be for the sake of the village._

 _House work was tedious, but it kept her hands busy, leaving her mind to wander, wondering about the what ifs; she wished desperately for a different life than what she was given or what seemed to lie in front of her._

 _It wasn't that she didn't wish to have a husband, or children, but she wished marriage for love, not convenience or status. And she certainly didn't wish to be pushed aside and treated as if she was less than the person she married; she was a person as well, not a thing, not a pet, not a servant, and she had seen how other men (not her father), had treated their wives, and she wanted nothing to do with that._

 _A rustle of bushes startled Eliza out of her musings, making her quick to her feet, drawing her small pocket knife out of her dress folds;_ _she kept it for self-protection_ _._

 _"Who's- who's there?" Eliza asks, clutching her knife closely, although it would do little if the person chose to attack her; perhaps only give her a slight edge to defend herself and run._

 _"My apologies, my lady. I did not mean to startle you." A man steps out; he was tall 6' 2", broad shouldered, with dark eyes, and carried a bow in his hands. She didn't recognize him, he clearly wasn't from her village. "I was simply hunting a deer. It appears the deer has stumbled away from me. I was tracking it. Perhaps you have seen one? I believe I injured it in my hunt."_

 _"Oh… I see." Eliza grips her knife still, holding it close. "And- and I have not…"_

 _"Hmm. That is unlucky… Well, perhaps not so. It lead me to you, my lady. My name is Finn Mikaelson." Finn offer charmingly, slinging his bow across his back to show he was of no threat, offering his hand and bowing._

 _"Eliza Bergstrom." Eliza replies quietly, taking Finn's hand cautiously._

 _"It is a pleasure to meet you, Eliza." Finn smiles, pressing a kiss to Eliza's hand gently._

Eliza blinked her eyes open with a gasp, memories disjointed in her mind as they resettled, and the surroundings around her blurred together in front of her.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty." Lucas grins, sitting beside his best friend.

"Uh, hi." Eliza pushes herself up, noticing that she was lying on a bed.

"What- what happened?"

"You fainted like a fair maiden." Lucas sasses.

"Thanks for that thrilling description." Eliza deadpans.

"Did you remember something?" Olivia sighs, giving Lucas a look.

"I- yeah." Eliza nods, rubbing her head. "Ugh… Do I have to pass out _every time?_ "

"We'll look into it." Olivia promises, hugging her best friend.

"You have no claim to Eliza." Elijah growls, glaring at his older brother, ever line in his body tense, as if he was ready to spring at any moment; forget propriety or manners, his inner animal demanded that he defend his mate and territory against any potential threat, even if it was his older brother.

"I knew Eliza just as you, Elijah." Finn states evenly, his body tense, just as Elijah.

"Eliza _chose_ **_me_** , Finn." Elijah hisses, his eyes dark, veins hinting beneath his eyes subtly, indicating his lack of control.

"And now she remembers me as well." Finn defends.

"Stay away from Eliza, Finn." Elijah all but roars, fangs flashing once. "Eliza is **_mine_**."

"She is my mate as well, Elijah. You cannot keep her from me." Finn growls, his inner animal now bristling at the clear threat.

Elijah growls, shaking his head like a stallion would toss his head preparing to challenge another.

" _This isn't over, Finn_."


	34. Staking Claim (Part Two)

_**Some Sexual Content**_

No One's POV

Elijah pushed open the door to the bedroom he shared with Eliza, greeted by the familiar sight of his mate laying on their bed reading a book.

" _Eliza_." Elijah rumbles, his body pressing down lightly on top of Eliza's, his arms caging Eliza to their bed, chest pressing against the lines of her back as she lies on her stomach, hugging a pillow.

"Well, hello there, 'Lijah." Eliza greets warmly, wiggling lightly and turning over to face the second oldest Original.

"Hello, Elskan." Elijah tilts his head down to meet Eliza's, pushing her book further and further until it finally thuds lightly on the floor.

"How was your day?" Eliza questions, fingers curling into Elijah's nape, stoking the short hairs at his neck.

"Pleasant. How was yours, my sweet Astin?" Elijah hums, head dipping to nose into her neck, sniffing and snuffling at her familiar scent and feeling thrum of her heart beat under her skin; inner animal having been restless and agitated from being apart from Eliza, particularly when he knew Finn would do everything in his power to gain Eliza's affections and attentions and also due to the threat of the Mystic Falls gang and the White Oak stakes posed, though it had merely been a few days since that revelation.

"Enjoyable. Lazy. I'm beginning to get a little spoiled doing nothing, you know. You might just create a monster of a different kind." Eliza smiles, playfulness in her expression and tone.

"Hmm?" Elijah simply quirks a slight playful tone in response. "And suppose I do not care? What shall I do then?" Elijah touches his nose to hers affectionately.

" _Lijah!_ " Eliza protests.

"I have more than enough to provide for you, Eliza. I _can_ provide for you. I can _protect_ you." Elijah whispers, lips pressing against the hollow of her throat.

"I know." Eliza's voice softens with understanding, fingers coaxing Elijah's face up to meet her expression. " _I love you_."

Elijah stilled for a moment, his mind focusing and converging to that one singular, breath taking, heat stopping, fragile, moment in time; **_Eliza loved him_**.

Then, blood roared in his ears, life burst into a kaleidoscope of color and beauty that he had never felt or seen before (at least not in a few decades since Eliza's death which had haunted his every waking moment), and heat raced through his veins; Eliza **_loved_** him.

" _Lijah?_ " Eliza questions unsurely.

"I love you." Elijah answers back, as he has told her a thousand times before, though Eliza had never returned the sentiment before; he understood, it had been too soon, she had needed _time_ , and he would gladly give her decades, _hundreds_ of years, to gain and earn her love. " _I love you_ , Eliza."

Elijah pushed at clothes, tossing them carelessly to the ground behind them, before, rolling them both into the sheets with a sort of hasty desperation and neediness.

But despite his anxiousness to get them out of their clothes and bodies sliding together as fast as possible, Elijah was a considerate lover; pressing skin against skin, fingers reveling in the smooth texture of Eliza's skin, every patch of bare skin exposed to him, every inch claimed, marked, and explored with his greedy gaze, warm lips, and firm touch.

Hips snap forward next, Elijah driving himself into her deep, bed rocking against the wall and sheets pooling around their legs, though they pay no attention to it.

" _Lijah!_ " Eliza breathes breathlessly, fingers curling into Elijah's hair and another gripping onto his shoulder.

" _Eliza_. **_Elskan_**." Elijah growls, thrusting powerfully, driving deep, feeling his mate's heat pull and clench around him, hips snapping hard against his mate's, and pushing them both towards their climaxes. " ** _Mine_**."

" _Ah!_ " Eliza cries, feeling Elijah thrust and rut with further enthusiasm, driving them both towards closer release.

" ** _Eliza_**." Elijah growls, hips snapping one last time, sheathing himself firmly within his mate's searing, velvety core, pressed tight against Eliza's cervix as his release crashes through him.

Eliza shakes under the Original, letting out a wordless cry as her own climax rushes through her, her own body clenching around Elijah, waves of pleasure flying and sparking through her in bursts.

Elijah rumbles, thrusting lazily and uncoordinated, easing them off their highs; fangs latching on to Eliza's neck carefully as he bites into her pulse point, his inner animal hungry and craving his mate in a completely different way, but gentle and conscientious, not wanting to harm his mate.

" _Elskan_." Elijah rumbles.

"Shhh." Eliza hushes lightly, fingers curling through Elijah's hair. "M'right here, 'Lijah. I'm **_yours_**."

Elijah curled around his mate as she slept against his chest; the rise and fall of Eliza's chest and the steady beat of her heart, telling Elijah and his inner animal that his mate slept peacefully.

Elijah couldn't sleep, however, his inner animal was _restless_.

Despite the assurances of his mate, despite what they had done not less than an hour ago (done frequently due to his territorial tendencies), despite knowing that Eliza was _his_ in every way conceivable, Elijah was restless, left hungering for more.

She was in his blood, in his veins, in his very soul.

And he needed to- he needed to _claim_ her, own her, have her, _possess_ her, and most of all, **_protect_** her. It was an **_obsession_**. He needed it like air to breathe or water to drink. It was a fire inside of him, like fire burning through the driest summer days.

Elijah didn't know what he needed- his inner animal- she smelled like him, reeked of his scent, his mark was pressed onto her skin, but _it simply wasn't enough._

Eternity with his mate would never be enough.

 ** _The plot bunnies bestowed a gift upon me!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**

 ** _P.S. I know this may seem sort of random. But I promise it's not. I have a completely valid & real reason for this chapter! Also, it's only like a few days after the last chapter occurs. I allude to it in the text._**

 ** _And... If you noticed, I moved the rating of the story up. It is now M - Mature. Due to the content appearing a few times. Elijah is too sexy & territorial for his own good! Haha!_**


	35. Staking Claim (Part Three)

No One's POV

"So, catering choices…" Rebekah flips through her check list, magazines in front of her, as well as her laptop and phone.

"Ugh…" Eliza groans lightly, rubbing her eyes and throwing herself back against the couch; planning birthday parties was tedious.

At least it was when it was a massive _ball_ ; she blamed Elijah and Rebekah, _equally_.

Elijah wanted to celebrate her birthday, making it extra special; not that she thought 24 was something to write home about, but perhaps he was having some sort of flashbacks to their time together or perhaps he just wanted to convince her he could provide for her, either way he was insistent on throwing a large, extravagant party.

Rebekah didn't help things either; she was reclaiming her party planning expert title and the lack of friendship she had from their time together in New Orleans in the 20s.

"Oh, come on!" Rebekah taps her pen on the coffee table.

"I know, I know." Eliza waves her hand flippantly. "I appreciate you- doing this for me… _I do!_ I'm just tired of staring at the computer, and magazines…. My eyes are going to _roll_ out of my skull, Rebekah. I need to do _something_ else. _Anything_ else."

"Agreed!" Olivia pipes in from where she sits cross legged in an arm chair, magazines in her lap as well.

"Double agreed!" Lucas hops up, shoving his snacks off his lap. "How about music choices!?"

"Why do I even hang around you bunch?" Eliza asks as Lucas drags her off the couch.

"Because you love us." Lucas sasses, dragging Eliza to the speaker and putting on music.

"Debatable right now. This has been torture." Eliza complains.

"Well, you love me." Lucas retorts, swinging his best friend around the living room with a dramatic flourish. "Besides, think of it as practice… For the wedding you'll inevitably have to Mr. Suit and Tie."

"I hate you." Eliza deadpans, giving the younger Gemini twin a glare with little heat to it.

"Remember this song?" Lucas asks with a look of nostalgia.

"Wha-" Eliza pauses to listen to the song now sweeping through the speakers. "You're such a sap, Luke." Eliza giggles, taking the younger Gemini twin's hand, and swinging around the living room in a sweeping waltz.

 _I found myself dreaming,  
In silver and gold.  
Like a scene from a movie,  
That every broken heart knows.  
We were walking on moonlight,  
And you pulled me close.  
Split second and you disappeared,  
And then I was all alone._

"So…" Lucas questions. "A definite yes to this song?"

"Why do you have to ruin the moment?" Eliza complains as they swing around the room together, Eliza humming along lightly to the song, and swept in the moment by the memories of their high school years together; there hadn't been a dance, football game, or sports event that Lucas hadn't been by her side.

Eliza had been the new girl, hardened, a protective armor around her from years on the run, afraid due to the horrors and things that she had run and faced from all of her life, and most of all, in desperately need of protection and a friend, the phoenix destined to a life of tragedy.

 _I'm gonna love you,  
Like I'm gonna lose you.  
I'm gonna hold you,  
Like I'm saying goodbye.  
Wherever we're standing,  
I won't take you for granted.  
'Cause we'll never know when,  
When we'll run out of time.  
So I'm gonna love you,  
Like I'm gonna lose you.  
I'm gonna love you,  
Like I'm gonna lose you._

"The Ron to your Harry." Lucas smirks, his gaze serious, however, reflecting the friendship and bond they had that went back several years; Lucas was Ron due to his snark and sarcasm, Olivia was Hermione because she was the female witch and because of her book smarts, and Eliza was Harry for obvious reasons, because she was the phoenix, the Chosen One.

"What?" Rebekah asks, clearly confused.

" _Obviously_." Eliza grins back at Lucas, hugging the Gemini heir. "Except not ginger."

"Nerd." Lucas quips back, realizing it's another geeky quote and reference to two things.

"May I cut in?" Elijah is suddenly beside both his mate and the Gemini twin, his posture somewhat stiff and overly formal, clearly tense, territorial waves practically rolling off him.

Lucas simply rolls his eyes slightly, giving Eliza a look as if to imply his thoughts to his friend.

"You may, 'Lijah." Eliza smiles at Elijah.

"Ugh. _Men_." Rebekah mutters, simply throwing her magazine onto the coffee table and rising to move into the kitchen to grab more snacks. "Come on, Olivia. Let's get more snacks!"

 _'Cause when you smile, I see the sun sink down on a coast out in California.  
And there's no doubt, because of you I'm not the man I was before you.  
I'm not saying, that I'm perfect, oh 'cause girl you know I'm not.  
But I'll love you, with everything I've got,  
Girl I'll give you my best shot._

"Aren't you supposed to be out with your brother and Alaric tracking down the White Oak stakes?" Eliza questions, sashaying and sweeping around the room with Elijah.

"I believe a few moments will not be the end of the world." Elijah smiles down at his mate.

"Ever the romantic." Eliza hums closing her eyes as the music ebbs and flows around them.

 _You saw a spark inside of me that no one else could find.  
Your good morning eyes, they get me high.  
Girl you're always on my mind._

 _When I saw you for the first time,  
I knew I'd found amazing grace.  
It's like angels singing every time I hear your name.  
'Cause when you smile, I see the sun sink down on a coast out in California.  
And there's no doubt because of you, I'm not the man I was before you._

 _When you smile, I see the sun sink down on a coast out in California.  
And there's no doubt, because of you I'm not the man I was before you.  
I'm not saying, that I'm perfect oh, God knows I'm not.  
But I'll love you, with everything I've got.  
Girl I'll give you my best shot._

"With everything I have." Elijah echoes. "I'm yours, Elskan."

" _Yours_." Eliza echoes back, hand pressing against the Original's chest.

"I love you." Elijah presses a kiss to his mate's temple.

"I love you too." Eliza echoes. "Now _go_. Or you're gonna hold everyone up. _And play nice!_ Besides, you got your wish, Finn is out of the house."

"Of course, Elskan." Elijah chuckles, conceding to Eliza's logic, finally releasing his mate, and disappearing a moment later.

 ** _There is a point to this chapter! Besides the fluff! I promise!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**

 ** _Like I'm Gonna Lose You ~ Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend_**

 ** _Best Shot ~ Jimmie Allen_**


	36. Staking Claim (Part Four)

No One's POV

Jimmie Allen's song, _Best Shot,_ flowed through the speakers of the Mikaelson mansion, Elijah dancing with his mate as Niklaus painted long, focused strokes on the canvas in his studio, Niklaus ever so often seeing the two sweep across the living room in romantic bliss; his older brother looking as if Eliza had hung the stars and moon or created the universes.

Niklaus wasn't bitter or jealous, not at all. After all, what claim did he have on Eliza? It wasn't as if there weren't long lost and buried memories of him and Eliza doing the very same thing under the street lights and in the glamorous bars of New Orleans.

 _1880s, New Orleans_

 _"What do you say, darling? Care for a little dancing?" Niklaus offers, rising from their booth in the dim lit bar, the music swaying around them, couples already on the floor, and waiters and waitresses bustling around them as a singer belts out a high note._

 _"Dance? Oh, no. I- I couldn't." Eliza shakes her head lightly, her fingers pressing together in nervousness._

 _"Oh, come now, love." Niklaus encourages, fingers wiggling lightly. "Live a little."_

 _"Well… Just for a bit." Eliza waivers, finally taking his hand and allowing him to sweep her into his arms._

 _"There. That's not so bad, now is it?" Niklaus smiles charmingly, his dimples showing as his eyes twinkle under the lights._

 _"I suppose." Eliza giggles, swaying in the Hybrid's arms._

 _"Are you enjoying yourself tonight, Eliza?"_

 _"I am. Thank you, Niklaus." Eliza whispers, her head lying down against his shoulder._

 _"You're welcome, Eliza." Niklaus whispers back, his lips gently pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, how about a walk along the river? I promise to keep you safe from any ruffians."_

 _"Of that I have no doubt. Let's go." Eliza smiles, leaning into him as he leads them out into the crisp night and street lights illuminating her blonde hair and radiant smile._

Niklaus shook his head lightly, those were memories of a brighter time and future; before his dreams and hopes of eternity with his mate had gone up, quite literally, in the flames and ashes of the town.

"I love you too." Eliza echoes. "Now _go_. Or you're gonna hold everyone up. _And play nice!_ Besides, you got your wish, Finn is out of the house."

"Of course, Elskan." Elijah chuckles, conceding to Eliza's logic, finally releasing his mate, and disappearing a moment later.

Hearing Elijah's BMW pull out of the driveway, Niklaus placed his paint brush down in water and palette down, striding out of his studio and into the living room to see Eliza still bopping her head to the music, it now switching over to an upbeat tune, while flipping through a magazine.

Niklaus had been actually maintaining a distance from Eliza, which he was sure was pleasing Elijah, the smug _bastard_ ; being that Elijah was coming to near _physical_ blows with Finn over Eliza on a daily basis. But despite Niklaus lack of involvement and interaction with Eliza on a regular basis, or any basis, Niklaus wasn't a saint, he was far from it. And having Eliza in his home was far from easy, he doubted it would be easy for anyone; in fact, anyone would have to be a damn near _saint_ to be around their mate and not do anything.

"Having any luck with the party planning?" Niklaus asks casually.

"Oh!" Eliza startles slightly at seeing the Original Hybrid. "I- yes… Some. I think I'm throwing in the towel for now. Despite your sister… And my best friends' enthusiasm."

"I happen to know all about my sister's enthusiasm." Niklaus answers a bit sarcastically. "It happens to the best of us."

Eliza laughs lightly.

"What are you working on, Nik?" Eliza asks curiously, taking the opportunity to talk to the Hybrid.

"Would you like to see?"

"I'd love to!" Eliza hops up, quick to discard the magazines and various planning things.

"Wow." Eliza looks wide-eyed at the studio and paintings and drawings scattered all around the walls and surfaces. "What are these?" Eliza drifts over to a stack of paintings leaning against the wall almost looking as if they are discarded.

"Part of my… Darker phase." Niklaus answers, all the paintings rather dark in nature, quite literally; painted in the years, decade, after losing Eliza.

"I see." Eliza offers quietly, her fingers running along the edges of the canvases, before quietly placing them back, with care and tenderness Niklaus hadn't been the receiving end of in quite some time. "So… You were going to show me something?"

"Mmm, yes. My latest painting." Niklaus hums, pulling her over to a canvas not quite finished, but a clear landscape and image appearing.

"It's beautiful, Nik." Eliza compliments.

"New Orleans, 1880." Niklaus answers, waiting for a moment, but left wanting when no recognition flicked through her expression.

"It's beautiful. It looks magical." Eliza says wistfully.

" _It was_."

 ** _Did anyone actually figure out the point of these last chapters? Cause I had one._**

 ** _Also, you are correct. Elijah is gonna have a tough time sharing. The poor guy..._**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	37. Q&A

_**Hey everyone!**_

 _ **I've had some questions come up, so I thought I'd answer them for everyone to clarify!**_

 _ **1\. I'm still on hiatus. I just happen to get very small bursts of inspiration. You know how those little plot bunnies get... They DEMAND to get written. And, well, I'd rather get them written then have them hop away! That's even worse! So, that's where we are at. Sorry, no regular scheduled updates.**_

 _ **2\. Not a question, but I did quote the Parent Trap! It was too great of an opportunity to miss!**_

 _ **3\. Sort of a spoiler, but not really, since you can see the running theme... Yes, Eliza will, at some point remember them all.**_

 _ **4\. She is all their soulmates. I addressed it in a previous chapter. Rebekah was the one that dropped that little bombshell on everyone.**_

 _ **5\. This story is sort of a slow burn, not really. But, it is slower paced than The Ties That Bind series or Always & Forever. Elijah is front & center at the moment (I'm partial to him), but that's not the reason, it's just the way the plot is going. Don't worry, we'll get all our lovable Original boys with Eliza sooner or later!**_

 _ **6\. Last question, so yes, Elijah is going to share. He's just grumpy.**_

 _ **Polkadottedgiraffe11**_


	38. Collision (Part One)

No One's POV

The sun was shining through the bare, leafless trees branches of the forest beyond the Mikaelson manor, weak rays of the winter, and a cold, brisk wind whipped what was left of the fallen, lifeless, brown leaves and pine needles on the forest floor outside.

Inside, Eliza sat curled up in front of one the large bay windows of the Mikaelson mansion, cradling a cup of warm coffee, a fuzzy blanket over her lap, gazing outside in quiet and content contemplation, a book also carelessly in her lap while the hearth blazed, roaring heat; it couldn't be more peaceful or calm.

Elijah and Niklaus were both out, wreaking some sort of havoc on the town in attempts to track down the White Oak stakes, Olivia and Luke were studying at Alaric's apartment (set to come over later), and Alaric was at school teaching, as it was technically school time for Mystic Falls High School, which also meant that the Scooby gang _should_ all be in school, along with the youngest Mikaelson, Rebekah.

"Am I disturbing you?" Finn asks politely, breaking Eliza out of her quiet musings.

"Oh, Finn…" Eliza startles. "No, no, not at all." She turns to look at the eldest Mikaelson.

"May I ask what you are reading?" Finn inquires, walking further into the living room. "I am a bit behind the times, as you would guess."

"Oh…" Eliza looks at her book, flipping over the cover almost a little embarrassed. "It's called _Beautiful Chaos_ , by Kami Garcia. This is the third book in the series. I've been waiting to read it. It just came out. It's a- sort of a- it's a supernatural book… Dark versus light sort of plot. Demons, witches, destiny, falling in love with the wrong person… Umm…" Eliza definitely looks embarrassed at that admittance. "The plot is well-written, though…"

"Do you like reading?" Finn simply inquires further, sitting down on the edge of the nearest couch.

"I _love_ reading. I don't have a lot of time. Or- didn't… Because of work. I'm catching up now." Eliza offers, waving a small hand at her book; the clear statement that Elijah keeping her cooped up within the Mikaelson mansion (even if it was for her safety) left _unsaid_.

"I have some-" Finn hesitates only a moment, gathering his thoughts and words carefully before asking. "Perhaps, my collection is not quite as collective as my brothers, but I believe I have some things even my brothers may not. You may find them interesting… If you'd like to see?"

Finn was rewarded with a radiant smile.

"I'd love to Finn." Eliza replies.

Elijah returns to the Mikaelson mansion, frustrated, his inner animal wound tight and anxious from being gone longer than he had anticipated and for all his work left unproductive; despites his façade of propriety, decorum, and sophistication, and part of Elijah craved the small and quiet moments at home, particularly with Eliza.

She was everything, after all, and calmed his inner animal within him.

Elijah stopped short, gaze landing on Eliza and Finn together talking and laughing.

"Eliza." Elijah greets, his voice already shorter and tenser than desirable; a sort of rage and fury building up inside him.

" _Elijah_." Finn looks up, gaze unwavering as the two siblings merely eye one for a brief moment, as if sizing each other up.

" _Finn_." His brother's name came out like a growl, before in another moment, he charged.

 ** _Happy Thanksgiving everyone!_**

 ** _P.S. I've got to say... This was not at all where I thought my story was going... Alas, plot bunnies drug me along this trail. Haha!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	39. Collision (Part Two)

No One's POV

Eliza couldn't help but let out a small scream of surprise as Elijah charged Finn, the two colliding harshly like Titians in the Greek times of old, the force of the eldest Mikaelsons crashing into the coffee table, breaking it, then flashing upright to barrel into the far wall, clearing intent on strangling the hell out of each other.

" _Elijah!_ " Eliza screams, pulling herself up from the couch, annoyed and a little afraid of seeing him like this (sue her, she had an Original boyfriend/mate). " _Stop this!_ Stop this right now! What the **_hell_** is wrong with you?"

Eliza pulled her hair lightly, tugging at the ends as she watched Finn and Elijah snarl at each other, fangs bared, and eyes flashing darkly, veins cracking under their eyes, and flashing at inhuman speeds around the living room, Eliza attempting to keep clear of the wreckage that quickly appeared around her.

" _ELIJAH!_ " Eliza taps her foot a little, crossing her arms in front of her, an unhappy frown on her face. "This is _ridiculous!_ Stop it! Are you attempting to- to win back my non-offended honor?"

It was clear that neither of the two eldest Mikaelsons were going to listen to her pleas; Eliza threw up her hands in frustration, nearly wanting to stomp her foot in frustration like a child (she barely refrained).

"Elijah! _NO!_ " Eliza rushes between the two, Elijah managing to find a stake out of nowhere (probably from the broken pieces of the coffee table), and while it couldn't kill Finn, the fact that Elijah was even _contemplating_ using against his elder brother was horrifying to Eliza.

What was _happening_ to this family? This was _not_ the Elijah she knew. She didn't _want_ this. Was she dividing the family? Like Katerina had so many centuries before? If so, she was no better than Elena or the Petrova doppelgangers that had come before.

Things happened in a blur after that, Eliza was pushed away, whether by Elijah or Finn, she wasn't certain; she landed harshly and awkwardly on her side, debris from their earlier fight digging into her and debris covering her clothes.

" _Ouch!_ " Eliza gasps, hand coming to her side, pulling away shocked, seeing blood seep between her fingers.

" _What is going on here?_ " Lucas' voice is ice cold and definite, his sister a step behind him as they walk into the mansion.

"Eliza!" Olivia sees her best friend, immediately rushing over to Eliza and where she has pushed herself up into a sitting position on the ground.

" _Enough_." Lucas flickers his powers, hands thrusting outward in a decisive action, pushing the two Originals away from one another, forcing them to stop.

" _Eliza_." Elijah breathes, mortification and shame filling his tone, the darkness finally fading, veins receding as he snaps his attention towards his mate.

" **No**." Lucas growls, a glare leveled at the Mikaelson. "You don't get to feel _hurt_ about what you've done to Eliza."

"Eliza." Elijah moves again, as if to move towards his mate, only to halt as Oliva raises her hand warningly, a spark of magic warning the Original from his present action.

"Luke, Liv." Eliza sighs, in no mood to argue with her best friends or deal with Elijah's over territorial instincts, Olivia helping Eliza up, the wound superficial, but stinging slightly nonetheless. "I'm fine."

"Come on, let's go." Lucas simply walks over to his sister and best friend, glaring once more at the two Originals before moving out of the room, leaving the two eldest Mikaelsons admits the silence and wreckage of their own making.


	40. Aftermath (Part One)

No One's POV

"Okay, okay, okay… _Seriously_. I'm fine! For the thousandth time, _I'm fine!_ " Eliza waves off her best friend's hovering hands.

" _Liza!_ " Oliva scolds, walking back in from the attached, ensuite, master bathroom with a clean wash rag.

"What? You're hovering!" Eliza defends, batting at Lucas' hands as he peeks at the wound on Eliza's side that Olivia had already cleaned. "Stop it, Luke. It's cleaned. It's barely a scratch. Would you _knock_ it off?"

"You were bleeding." Lucas deadpans, relenting and shifting the hem of Eliza's shirt back down.

"Well, I'm fine now." Eliza rolls her eyes.

" _Fine_." Olivia rolls her eyes back at her stubborn best friend. "And here. You have dirt on your face."

"Thanks." Eliza says, rubbing at her cheek to get off the remaining dust and debris.

"So… Are we going to talk about this?" Lucas asks, arms crossing as he stands at the foot of the bed.

"What's there to talk about?" Eliza asks innocently, tossing the rag onto the nightstand the pushing herself further onto the bed.

" _Eliza_." Lucas snorts disbelievingly.

"You know Elijah would never hurt me on purpose, Luke." Eliza says softly.

"Maybe…" Lucas offers back, looking only half convinced.

"He _wouldn't_." Eliza is sure.

"Then what happened?" Olivia asks, plopping down on the large California King cross legged to sit across from her best friend.

"It was just some stupid fight. Elijah was fighting Finn. You know, like they've been doing the past week." Eliza picks at a stray string on the comforter.

"He was _jealous?_ " Lucas asks incredulously. " _Seriously?_ "

"You'd have to ask him. Really, Luke. I don't know. One minute everything was fine. I was just looking at a book with Finn. And then- then 'Lijah returned. And went- went sort of all… Crazy." Eliza shrugs, seemingly unconcerned considering things.

"You're _hiding_ something…" Olivia tilts her head, eyes narrowed in contemplation. "You're… You're too _calm_ … Too… You _know_ something… Or, you suspect something? _Don't you?_ "

"What? No- of course not. I told you, I don't know why Elijah attacked Finn. He's- I mean, sure, he's been pretty protective and territorial. You know, with Finn… But- he's never been _that_ aggressive. You've been around, you know that. This was- this was different. It- it sort of scared me too." Eliza admits.

"Pretty territorial? Protective?" Lucas scoffs. " _Understatement_ …" He mutters, rolling his own eyes and sitting down on the bed.

"No, not about that." Olivia waves off. "About why your normal, calm, and proper Mr. Suit and Tie is acting this way."

"It was all too sudden. Like I said-"

"Come on, ' _Liza_ , now I _know_ you're just trying to lie." Olivia gives her best friend a look. "I think we're all beyond that. We know you better than that."

Eliza just huffs, giving up on her woes as me act before rolling her eyes.

"I have a hunch…" Eliza gives in. "You won't like it."

"Your birdy nature?" Lucas quips.

"I resent all implications that come with those words." Eliza glares at the youngest Gemini twin. "But, yes…"

"What's going on, 'Liza?" Olivia asks softly.

"We bonded." Eliza answers, her voice equally as quiet.

" _Blood_." Lucas realizes, the answer dawning on him with a sudden understanding.

Eliza simply nods.

"Well, _shit_." Lucas curses.

"Eliza, why didn't you _tell_ us?" Olivia asks scolds lightly. "Or Alaric?"

"Because Alaric would have an aneurism?" Eliza states, the statement more of a question. "And you're going to blow everything up…"

Both twins level a look at her that say that they are less than impressed at her.

"This is serious…" Olivia states.

"It could be… I don't know for sure!" Eliza protest.

"No, it's _probable_." Lucas interjects. "Why didn't we _see_ this!?" This is said more to the side, clearly the younger Gemini twin annoyed he _hadn't_ noticed this before; after all, they were supposed to be Eliza's protectors.

"Okay, fine… It's likely…" Eliza amends.

"This isn't good." Olivia tells Eliza, looking serious, her usual upbeat attitude now humorless and thoughtful.

"I know." Eliza sighs.

"It's _dangerous_."

"I know."

"So…" Lucas prompts.

"I'll deal with it, okay?" Eliza snaps slightly.

"Are we going back to Portland?"

"No, no… Not yet." Eliza shakes her head. "I'll- I'll deal with it, okay? I promise. Just- I like him. I- I love him."

"You know that isn't enough." Olivia says quietly, her hand reaching out to place it on Eliza's knee.

"I know." Eliza says even softer, already feeling the disappointment and familiar ache of what it meant to be a Phoenix.

 ** _H_ _ey,_**

 ** _What do you know!? Another chapter!_**

 ** _Also, another hint about Eliza's Phoenix powers..._**

 ** _I hope you guys all had a wonderful time with family!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	41. Aftermath (Part Two)

No One's POV

A light knock on the door broke the somber atmosphere and discussion in the room.

"May I come in?" Elijah asks, pausing after a moment of silence. "Please, I only wish to talk. _Apologize_."

"Yes, 'Lijah. Of course. Come in." Eliza answers, much to her best friends' protests. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. _Really_. Just give us a few minutes, okay?"

"Fine." Lucas huffs, both Gemini twins rising from their places on the bed, Lucas side eyeing the second oldest Original as he pushes open the door and walks in, the privacy spell they had placed on the room to give them time to talk privately without any prying ears now broken.

" _Eliza_." Elijah breathes, looking ashamed and remorseful.

"Hello 'Lijah." Eliza smiles.

"I am- I am _sorry_." Elijah hovers just inside the door, clearly unsure if he was allowed in despite Eliza's invite. "More than- more than I can ever say."

"I'm alright, Elijah. I forgive you. I was never angry. Maybe a little scared. But I know you would _never_ purposely hurt me." Eliza pats the bed lightly.

"I would never." Elijah shakes his head lightly, hovering closer to finally sit on the bed.

"But- but, 'Lijah… It's- the fighting… It has to _stop_." Eliza pleads. "I understand that- that you're protective and territorial. But- Finn and I were just hanging out. And- and I know that I'm your mate. But-" Eliza pauses, carefully choosing the best way to phrase things, knowing that things needed to be said.

"I'm his too… And- and maybe I don't have feelings for him… But, it isn't exactly fair to your brother that you're not allowing him the opportunity to get to know me, at all. I'd like to remember my time with him. I only remember fragments. Just like I only remember fragments of our time together." Eliza tries to explain.

"Do you know how _rare_ that is? No, this is the _first_ time I've gotten this opportunity. I- I don't want to feel like- like I'm somehow going behind your back when I spend any time with him… I just- this is _dividing_ you. You're _siblings_. I can't do that… If I do, I'm no better than Katerina. I just _can't_ -" Eliza tapers off a bit unsurely; it was a difficult situation to find herself in entirely, she couldn't say it wasn't just awkward and terrible in general. If only she had remembered them all at once, then perhaps they wouldn't be all arguing, or maybe it would only be worse.

"I understand." Elijah cuts off. "I- I will try. Finn and I- we've come to an- agreement… He may spend time with you…" Elijah looks unhappy at the thought, but nonetheless settled about the idea. "What happened today shall not happen again. I promise."

"Okay. Thank you." Eliza nods, leaning into Elijah.

"I'm _sorry_ , Elskan." Elijah breathes again, arms wrapping around her, his muscles finally relaxing. "I love you."

"I know you are. I love you too, 'Lijah."

"Finn would like to speak with you, Elskan." Elijah moves after several moments, his gaze looking towards the door, where presumingly Finn was just behind it. "Are you feeling up for it?"

"Oh, alright. Yes, I'll be fine… You're not going to burst into a fit of crazed rage… Right?" Eliza looks at Elijah suspiciously; despite him agreeing to allow Finn time to be with her (she wasn't so sure about this new "agreement" that they decide, let alone without her consent), Elijah was still prone to the green eyed monster of jealousy and animal territorial instincts.

"No, I am not." Elijah smiles amused at his mate.

"Okay, then." Eliza smiles back.

"I'll be outside the door." He promptly replies.

"No, you can hover _downstairs_. It's not like you won't be eavesdropping from there." Eliza waves off, attempting to push the Original off the bed. "Besides, you promised."

"Very well." Elijah does _not_ pout.

"Lijah?" Eliza nearly has the words she needs to tell Elijah on the tip of her tongue, but she stops, selfishly keeping it to herself.

She had spent the younger half of her life on the move, no, on the **_run_** ; town after town, because of her Phoenix nature, and now she had found a place where she belonged, a person she loved, and why _couldn't_ she have that? She _wanted_ that. Sometimes she wondered if a Prison World was kinder.

"Yes, Elskan?"

"Never mind. I'll be down in a bit. You don't have anything to worry about."

" _Eliza_." Finn moves into the room once his younger brother has left.

"Hello Finn."

"I am sorry for my actions in the fight. Which caused you to get injured." Finn apologizes.

"Finn, I'm alright. It was barely a scratch. You really don't need to apologize. But I forgive you." Eliza answers.

"I pushed you. I- I didn't want you to get hurt." Finn frets a little, worry clouding his expression.

"Then you were only trying to protect me." Eliza replies. "You weren't trying to be malicious, right?"

Finn nods in response, clearly upset by the thought of Eliza angry at him.

"See? I'm fine. Everything is fine, Finn."

"I'm sorry." Finn replies again.

"Finn, I _really_ do forgive you…" Eliza replies softly, patting the bed like she had done with Elijah. "Are you- are you okay? Is there- there something bothering you?" Eliza continues, sensing something else bothering the eldest Mikaelson.

"I- I couldn't save you before." Finn finally blurts out after another moment's hesitation. "You died. And I couldn't save you…" His voice tapering off until it was quieter and quieter, looking down ashamed.

"Oh… Oh, _Finn_." Eliza says softly, patting the spot beside her. "Hey, look. I'm right here. I'm _safe_ and I'm right here." And, for the thousandth time, Eliza wonders how she managed to get herself into this sort of situation.

 ** _Hi guys,_**

 ** _I just wanted to remind everyone, that while as readers you often get a very 3rd person/omniscient point of view, I am the one actually writing. Therefore, I actually know my plot & am weaving together the story._**

 ** _I have not given you everything in regards to Eliza's Phoenix nature/powers. I have only given you hints so far!_**

 _ **Also, I am actually staying pretty close to what a Phoenix's powers really are in mythology. I am expanding only slightly, but in a pretty logically way (as I tend to try to do in all my stories). I'm the author, we have this prerogative... Once the truth comes out, it will all make sense... So again, you've only gotten hints, which is why you may not understand.**_

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	42. Hunger (Part One)

No One's POV

"You haven't told him… _Have you?_ " Lucas accuses Eliza, settling into the couch of the Mikaelson mansion.

"Well… I- Not… Not really." Eliza trails off. "I- I meant to!" She protests under the Gemini twins withering glare.

" _Liza!_ " Olivia chastises.

"I did! I really did." Eliza nods. "And- and I will… _I promise_ …"

"Come on… _Eliza_ …" Lucas groans none too softly. "This is _important_."

"I know… I'm _sorry_." Eliza does not sulk at Lucas' emphasis. "I know it is… I just- I want- I want a little more time. That's all." She defends.

"It's- you _know_ it's not that simple. This- it's not easy for me, okay? I- is it really that wrong for me to want to be normal? Just- just pretend, for a little while? I know, I know it's selfish to not explain... But, all- all my life, until I met you guys, I was on the run. I don't- I don't think I can _remember_ a time where I got to just- _stay_ … In one place. It- it wasn't _safe_ … And- and now… I _have_ that." Eliza looks down at her lap and the cup of coffee she held between her hands.

"And I know… My parents died, were _murdered_ , protecting me…" Eliza's voice is barely above a whisper. "And Alaric- he- he had to sacrifice much more to protect me… A kid sister he suddenly had to raise when he was little more than out of the house himself… He became a _Hunter_ because of me… All of it… It's all _my_ fault…"

"We know, Eliza…" Olivia answers quietly, hand reaching out for her best friend. "We _understand_. We understand it all. I mean, we understand why you want to. We can never understand what you went through, not completely. It's not selfish to want to be normal, when you never had that. Alaric would _want_ that for you. You _know_ he wants you to be happy. To _live_. We want you to be happy. But also, do not let your brother's sacrifice be a wasted one. And that's why we ask, we only want to protect you. You're our _best friend_. You're **_family_**."

"Just tell him soon." Lucas offers, voice equally as soft. " _Please_."

Elijah felt like screaming, or possibly pulling the hearts out of every vampire here, save his brother Niklaus, and even his brother had his moments; the hunt for the White Oak stakes had been entirely fruitless for the most part, and it had been weeks.

The "Scooby gang" as his mate called them, had scatter the stakes, and negotiations, if you could even _call_ them that, were as helpful as a bull in a china shop, which was to say, _not at all_ ; they had come to find one was in the Lockwood caverns, inaccessible to any vampires, and another had already been found in the Salvatore Boarding House, leaving _nine_ unaccounted for.

Currently, they were being lead on what Elijah was hoping was not a complete wild goose chase in the back country of Mystic Falls County. Niklaus had threatened Elena's brother Jeremy, where he was residing in Denver, Colorado, so here was to wishful thinking that the Scooby gang would comply this time.

It didn't leave Elijah in any less of a good mood.

Every crunch of a leaf or crack of a twig grated against his inner senses like nails on a chalk board or a spikes dragging against glass, every fast beating heart beat within a few mile's radius thrummed against his skull like a jack hammer, and the senseless nattering of the Scooby gang only served to aggravate him further.

" _Enough_." Elijah snarls out, eyes flashing darkly, barely refraining from flashing his fangs. "Enough of this."

"Elijah?" Niklaus halts, turning towards his brother, having been a few steps ahead of the party, following Stefan.

"I've had enough of this _pointless_ nattering." Elijah growls, patience long since gone as he spins around and advances on Elena, Caroline, Stefan, and Matt.

"Now, now, Elijah." Niklaus attempts to keep some sort of peace, and isn't _that_ completely out of the ordinary, usually it's Niklaus flying off the handle and snapping necks and leaving a wake of bodies and blood that Elijah has to clean up.

Elijah simply snarls again, this time his fangs hinting in his gums, continuing to advance on the Scooby gang.

Blood was rushing and roaring through his mind, thrumming in his skull, this sort of need, ache, and _hunger_ inside him; the animal and beast inside that was out of control, urging him, pulling him, and dragging him under like a powerful undertow.

" _Brother_." Niklaus attempts to stay his brother's hand.

"I've grown tired of their _petty_ and _childish_ **games** with us." Elijah hisses, eyes flashing again, hinting with a sort of darkness the Scooby gang had yet to see in the normally composed and poised second oldest Original.

Elijah was attacking Elena in a split moment, his fangs piercing through skin in another moment before his younger brother or Stefan and Damon could react.

" _Elena!_ " Stefan and Damon both shout, lunging forward towards the Original, not as if they could do much to halt the attack, Niklaus merely gazing at his brother with an unreadable expression; Elijah was not himself that much was clear, he **_didn't_** do things like this, not even to prove a point (bloody hearts pulled out were more his style, but that was beside the point, even at _that_ , he still was not prone to attack what he perceived was an _innocent_ ).

Elijah was gone in another moment, Elena left gasping in fear and surprise, nearly trembling and shaking, with a bloody wound on her neck.

"Klaus!" Caroline cries, staring at the Hybrid, hand held to her mouth in shock and fright, and another cradling Elena.

"Hmm." Niklaus simply hums, staring a bit absentmindedly after his brother.

" _What was that?_ " Caroline demands, fear a near tangle scent.

"Well, I believe my brother made himself quite _clear_ , my dear Caroline." Niklaus smirks. "Find the stakes. Or _else_. And remember… Jeremy is still in Colorado with my brother." With that threat, Niklaus is gone, following after Elijah.


	43. Hunger (Part Two)

No One's POV

"What have you not told my brother, Eliza?" Finn asks his mate, both making cookies together in the large Mikaelson kitchen.

"What do you- you were listening to my conversation with Luke and Liv, weren't you?" Eliza pauses her mixing.

"I'm sorry. I-" Finn goes to apologize.

"No… It's- it's fine. The house is only so large. And you're a vampire. And an Original, at that. I should have expected that. I mean… I can't say I'm too happy about it, necessarily… But, it's okay." Eliza frowns briefly. "It- it really _is_ complicated, Finn. I'm not trying to hurt Elijah. Or you."

"I-" Finn pauses a moment. "I want my brother happy, Eliza. There are many past hurts between my family and I… Particularly _myself_ and my family. For the things I did because I chose my mother over them. Or because, perhaps- they believe I chose her over them. Perhaps it was that way..." Finn begins slowly.

"I am- I suppose you could say, I am a simple person. I wanted a family, I wanted a home. And- and when I couldn't have that… I turned back to what I knew. _Esther_ … My siblings… They hate me for that. Rightfully so…"

"Finn…" Eliza pauses, reaching a hand out to him. "I'm- I'm sorry. I don't know- what else to say…"

"It's alright. I've come to- I've come to accept that… I think… Or, I'm beginning to…" Finn smiles a small smile. "Anyways, what I am saying… I have a long way, until my family and I trust one another. But I- I do want my brother happy. He is- with you."

Eliza remains quiet for a moment, staring at the cookie batter in front of her in contemplation; she knew what that cost him to say, moreover, what it _meant_ for him to say.

 _11 Century A.D_

 _"Finn? Are you here?" Eliza calls out quietly, pushing through the underbrush and small bushes to their familiar meeting spot._

 _"I am here, my love." Finn calls out in return, already standing by the bank of the river._

 _"Finn!" Eliza runs to him, Finn sweeping her up into his strong arms._

 _"How are you, my love?" Finn asks._

 _"I am well. And how are you?"_

 _Finn falls silent at this, his eyes growing briefly distant._

 _"Finn?" Eliza worries._

 _"I am well. All is well. Do not worry, my love." Finn smiles, pressing a small, tender kiss to Eliza's temple._

 _"What is wrong?" Eliza shakes her head, both sitting on the banks of the small stream._

 _"My siblings. They have noticed my absence of late. I worry, that is all. I cannot put you at risk." Finn traces patterns into her palm._

 _"Oh, I understand… Then- then perhaps we should stop… Just for a while." Eliza suggests._

" ** _No!_** _No…" Finn objects, voice then quieting._

 _"Finn, we must be careful… It's not permanent." Eliza offers. "Just a few moons."_

 _"What must you think of me? I cannot be a good husband for you, if I cannot even do this right…" Finn sighs dejectedly, clearly self-doubt wrecking his inner thoughts._

 _"No. No, do not think that. You are a good brother, a good man. You are thinking of your family. Of me. You wish to protect both. I love that about you, Finn." Eliza whispers._

 _"And I love you, Eliza."_

"You're a good brother, Finn. And a good man." Eliza finally says, turning to the eldest Mikaelson.

"Thank you, Eliza." Finn smiles, his voice breaking somewhere in the middle.

Elijah's head thrummed with a constant _pounding_ , like jackhammers buzzing in his skull, that drowned out any other thought, every heartbeat in a few miles calling to him with an allure that was all too familiar; the haunting, all too unforgettable red door in his mindscape pushing forth in his mind, the memories and monsters behind it threatening to break free and destroy everything in its path.

Like a siren, something much more beautiful, captivating, called him closer, but Elijah stamped it down; Eliza was something, someone, much better, much more _perfect_ and _good_ , than a monster such as himself.

Eliza and Finn were laughing, music playing lightly in the background, Eliza sliding around the kitchen island, running away from a Finn who gave chase with a spatula of cookie batter; she had thrown flour at his face and he was retaliating, attempting to smear cookie batter on her nose.

" _Eliza_." Elijah suddenly appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, tone almost desperate and ragged, and expression wide, frantic, wild, feverish in a despairing kind of way; his appearance a startling and worrying sight, blood splattered across his normally well-pressed, buttoned suit and blood dried on his arms and face.

" _Elijah_." Eliza breathes, halting her actions, gaze startled by Elijah's abrupt appearance.

She was too late, Elijah had tipped over the metaphorical ledge and he had snapped; this was all _her_ fault and now she had to bear the consequences.

"Brother." Finn halts his actions, wariness in every line of his body as he immediately slides closer to Eliza, not trusting Elijah's clearly teetering composure.

" _No_." Eliza holds out a hand. "No… Let- let him come to me." Eliza holds Finn back.

"Eliza." Finn protests, the three of them in some sort of unspoken standoff in the Mikaelson kitchen.

"I'll- I'll be fine, Finn. Trust me." Eliza answers, Eliza already in Elijah's arms before she can finish her words.

" _Eliza_." Elijah rushes out, his body a blur as he barrels into her, scooping her up into his arms.

" _Shhh_ , 'Lijah. It's okay. I'm here. It's okay. _You're okay_." Eliza hushes, smoothing fingers through his hair. "Let's go to our room." Eliza coaxes, Elijah whisking them away in another blink.

"Drink." Eliza merely shifts her shoulder slightly to stretch her neck out, baring it for the Original, Elijah taking no time to sink his fangs into her jugular.

Eliza's blood was like an oasis in the middle of the desert, water being thrown on a flaming fire, and the roar and buzz in Elijah's mind finally calmed.

"Eliza?" Elijah's voice cracks slightly, flashes of memories; bodies, blood, screams, filling his mind. What had he done?

"Hey there." Eliza sooths, fingers smoothing down hairs at the nape of his neck.

" _Eliza_." Elijah's tone cracks again, snuffling a little, pulling away to look at his mate. "I- I'm sorry… I don't-"

"Hey- hey it's okay. You don't have to apologize." Eliza cuts Elijah off.

Elijah pushes himself away, noticing blood coating himself, dried on his jacket, and now dried on Eliza slightly; suddenly getting himself clean and stripped was the only thing he could focus on.

"Elijah? Hey, Elijah…" Eliza follows Elijah into their walk in closet, Elijah practically balling his clothes up and tossing them into the hamper in the most undignified heap possible.

"Elijah… Honey. Stop. Just- just **_stop_**." Eliza orders, hands covering Elijah's as he slips on his buttons of his dress shirt, almost shaking in an effort to undress; his inner animal clearly distressed and rattled by the events.

"I'm sorry, Astin. I'm sorry." Elijah repeats over and over, simply clutching at Eliza as if she'd disappear if he let go.

"Elijah, this is **_not_** your fault." Eliza says firmly. "Come on. Follow me. Let's get you cleaned off. Shower. You and me."

Elijah follows his mate easily, like a lost sheep following its shepherd.

"This _isn't_ your fault, Elijah." Eliza repeats, unbuttoning Elijah's dress shirt, fingers smoothing over a well-toned chest. "No, just _listen_." Eliza says firmly, when it looks as if he'll protest again or begin to ask for forgiveness when he shouldn't be asking for any in the first place.

"You _didn't_ hurt me. You would _never_ hurt me on purpose. And you didn't hurt me. Okay? You didn't."

"If anything, it's _my_ fault… I've been… I've been meaning to tell you. But- but it's just… I've been selfish. I wanted more- more time… And now- now this is the price… You know about- well, me. Being a Phoenix… We have certain… _Attributes_ , you could say… A Phoenix is associated with life and rebirth. Mythology would say that we can be reborn… And that we can, in turn, have the power to bring life from our tears."

"Mythology wouldn't be _wrong_ …" Eliza says, now looking down. "But, it is also our _blood_ that carries these properties. Because of this… The Phoenix has long since been sought after, searched for. To be used to master death. My parents were murdered protecting me. That is… Not here or there, right now. The blood, however… Has a side effect, I've since learned… Vampires who drink it get depended on it… Addicted to it, you could say… I don't know why. I'm- I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I'm sorry about your parents, Eliza." Elijah replies softly.

Eliza simply huffs a small laugh, because of course he'd apologize for that; when did he ever worry about himself?

"Come on, shower time." Eliza simply prods Elijah into the large, double wide shower.

Elijah practically melts into her, enjoying Eliza's fingers working shampoo into his hair, and Eliza doesn't protest when he nudges his face into her neck again, fangs meeting the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

Later, once Eliza was curled up against him on their bed sleeping, the understanding and ramifications of what Eliza told him hit him full force.

 ** _I hope I explain Eliza's Phoenix powers in a logical way for you guys._**

 ** _Also, Finn's such a sweetie! I love him._**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	44. Hunger (Part Three)

No One's POV

"So you're… You're a Phoenix… Like the Greek bird in mythology. Said to be capable of bringing about resurrection… Life after death…" Niklaus slowly calculates, his words a deliberate, careful, and measured answer, Niklaus pacing a little in the living room, a drink in hand.

Niklaus had come home, tracking his brother through the town he had all but _decimated_ in his actions to feed, catching the end of Elijah and Eliza's discussion; the Mikaelson mansion was not soundproof, the walls mere paper thin to vampires particularly to vampires such as the _Originals_ , and thus had caught the conversation and the revelation of Eliza's Phoenix powers. It hadn't been deliberate per say, but a mere coincidental accident, however, that may be, it was now an issue to discuss.

Elijah growls a little, inner vampire seeing his brothers as an even bigger threat; tucking Eliza closer to him, as if not-so-silently warning his brothers away.

"Yes… Greek is the common mythology. But the Phoenix appears in many myths and cultures." Eliza nods.

"And Elijah… Is- addicted to your blood…" Niklaus answers again, gazing at Eliza.

"In a way…" Eliza hedges, clearly a little uncomfortable with now most of the Originals knowing her secret.

"Because of its- _properties_ …" Niklaus answers, his gaze unreadable; Eliza could not tell if it was because he was upset on behalf of his brother or because he sought to use this information for his own leverage and gain.

"Yes. It was- I didn't mean for that to happen." Eliza offers quietly. "I just- I'm sorry."

"This changes _nothing_ , Niklaus." Elijah cuts in, his voice firm, indicating he was not to be argued with and that the conversation was over. "Eliza will _not_ be pestered or harmed, in **_any_** way. You were not meant to know of this. It is _Eliza's_ secret. And it will **_stay_** a secret."

"Why did you not tell us, Eliza?" Finn asks, his voice unassuming, but his expression concerned and, if Eliza was reading it right, almost hurt.

"I- you have to understand… Being a Phoenix… We are sought after… _Hunted_. Relentlessly." Eliza worries, her hands twisting in her lap. "And I- my parents _died_ protecting me." Eliza's face twists up into sorrow-filled expression. "I just couldn't risk-"

"We understand." Finn cuts his mate off. "I am sorry, Eliza. You are _safe_ here. You need not worry." Finn offers, suddenly in front of Eliza, his hands covering hers gently. " _You are safe_."

 ** _I know, I know... It's a super short chapter. But, I need it to move along my plot! I promise, it's important!_**

 ** _And, to assure my readers... As I have before... Really guys... Read my lovely little notes!_**

 ** _This is an Original Brothers/OC story. It's just a slow romantic plot. Also, it's a little more realistic to have the brothers fight, don't you think? So, Elijah is front & center right now. But I PROMISE, all the others will make their moves!_**

 ** _Questions are lovely, I do love them!_**

 ** _Much love!_**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


	45. Of Parties & Compromises (Part One)

No One's POV

Eliza could hear the low hum of the staff downstairs in the ballroom and lower level the Mikaelson mansion as they bustled around; her final birthday party preparations were well on their way and the Mikaelson mansion transformed into yet another beautiful ball.

Freshly showered, Eliza wrapped herself in one of Elijah's dress shirt and seated herself on her large mirror to cool off before putting on her make-up and dress.

"Eliza?" Finn knocks lightly. "May I come in?"

"Oh, Finn." Eliza jumps, clearly surprised, a light rosy tint appearing on her cheeks. "Umm. Sure, come in." She turns, looking curious at the eldest Original.

"I didn't mean- I didn't mean to disturb your preparations for this evening." Finn pauses at the doorway, looking hesitant.

"It's fine, Finn. What do you need?" Eliza smiles warmly at the oldest Mikaelson.

"I-" Finn hesitates, looking down at his hands and the gift wrapped box he held, suddenly feeling as unsure as he had when he had come out of the coffin a century into a future he did not know. "I had hoped to give this to you tonight- for you to wear… With your dress." At that, he finally crosses the room to kneel beside Eliza as she sits in front of her vanity to present the gift.

"I had also hoped-" Finn pauses, taking Eliza's hand in his, now his nerves certainly getting the best of him. "I understand, Eliza, that your feelings for me, may be- may never be- what I am trying to say is, this is a token. Just a small token, of what I feel for you. And I would be deeply honored and grateful if you would wear it tonight."

"Of course, Finn." Eliza promises, her words soft. " _Of course_. On one condition."

" _Anything_." Finn promises back, his gaze looking up at hers.

"You escort me to my party."

"Eliza?" Finn questions, his tone catching a little, as if daring to hope for something that may not be there.

"Finn… You're my _mate_." Eliza says softly, taking her hand from his only to take both her own and place them gently on both sides of his face. "You're my mate. And- and I can't say that- that this won't be _hard_ … Or that I have the _same_ feelings as I do for Elijah. But- but we've spent _time_ together. We're _friends_ … We have a _past_ together... And- and I know- I know deep down, there's something I feel for you… So- so I'd be so stupid, if I didn't see where it went."

"Yes, yes, yes, Eliza." Finn nods. " _Anything_." He offers, his head bowing into Eliza's hands, eyes closing briefly as if to savor the moment.

"I need to get ready, Finn. Okay? I'll see you later tonight."

"Yes, yes of course. I shall leave you to finish getting ready." Finn rises, quickly composing himself.

" _Finn_." Eliza catches the eldest Mikaelson. "Don't leave a girl waiting." She teases playfully, leaning up ever so carefully to press a whispering kiss to Finn's cheek.

"I'll see you soon, my dear Eliza." Finn whispers and then, in a flash, is gone.

Eliza puttered around her room she shared with Elijah, her make-up and hair nearly done, just the final touches to be made; the bracelet, a more modern styled one of the bracelet Finn had always meant to give Eliza Bergstrom nearly a century ago, sitting and gleaming on the vanity.

"You look beautiful, Eliza. More radiant than the stars." Elijah comments, leaning up against the doorframe, having been watching his mate hum about their room for a few moments.

"Oh, 'Lijah!" Eliza startles, dropping a make-up brush.

"I was going to give you something to go with your dress this evening… But it seems… That someone already beat me to it." Elijah comments, the sarcasm falling flat as he prowls into the room a little.

"Oh… Oh, ' _Lijah_." Eliza softens, walking up to Elijah.

"Have I not- have I not given you what you desire, Eliza?" Elijah asks, his gaze burning into hers, hurt hidden in the dark depths of his eyes. "Am I no longer what you want? Am I to lose you to my brother?"

"Lijah- 'Lijah, _no_." Eliza whispers, hands resting against his chest. "That's not it. _Not at all_."

"Then what is it, Elskan?" Elijah pleads, expression piercing and anxious, a hidden fragility and vulnerability behind his eyes that Eliza had never seen before, as if she had the power to break him with her very words. "Is it because- because I hurt you? Are these the last moment am I to have with you?"

"No, 'Lijah, no. That's not-" Eliza whispers. "Just- just _listen_."

"I love you, Elijah." Eliza begins, her fingers carefully reaching up to brush against Elijah's jaw, rubbing softly. " _I love you_."

"You're _my mate_ , 'Lijah. You are." Eliza whispers to Elijah, fingers still rubbing Elijah's jaw, Elijah merely tilting into her touch like a cat seeking affection. "And I love you with all my heart. Don't for a second, _ever_ think differently."

Elijah practically purrs under Eliza's touch, eyes closed as he tilts further into her hand.

"What I feel- for Finn…" Eliza begins carefully. "I- I don't know, exactly… I like him, Elijah. We share a past. I know this. All I know is- is that something is _missing_. I feel it… I can't- I can't tell you what, Elijah. I'm sorry. And- and- I- I don't want to hurt either of you… I don't want to be another Katerina or Elena. But- but I have to- I have to also follow my own self… I know, it's- it's selfish… I'm- I'm sorry." Eliza says her words gently, her head bowed a little in shame; she didn't want to be like the doppelgangers, she didn't want to divide the brothers, but it seemed no matter what she did, she _was_. Perhaps it was better if she just left.

"I- I understand…" Elijah finally answers. "I have… Not be fair to you either, Elskan. I know you share a past with Finn… With all my brothers. And I have been selfish as well. People can love more than one person, if not, how could we love our families." Elijah offers this with only small, quiet acceptance.

"Are we okay now, 'Lijah?" Eliza asks, looking up at the second oldest Original, unsure and hoping she would find her answer there.

"I will _always_ love you, Elskan. I _do_ love you, Eliza." Elijah answers. "And as long as you love me, we are."

"Of course I love you, Elijah." Eliza smiles, leaning up to kiss Elijah.

 ** _World's most frustrating chapter to write... Because honestly, there is nothing more I hate than the doppelgangers in TVD. If they were truly good people (like they often claim to be), they would have left the brothers or just chose._**

 ** _I don't like girls who play around with guy's hearts, let alone TWO guys. Just decide & be done with it. It's not fair to the guys. If you truly love someone like you claim, then 1. you wouldn't love someone else & 2\. you'd decide once and for all. I get it, sometimes you DO fall in love with someone else or fall out of love. But then be the bigger person & let the other person GO._**

 _ **And, I struggled with this chapter. I feel like Eliza is on the verge of being the "girl who plays around with the Originals". Yet, at the same time, she doesn't remember them! It's basically like having amnesia... And basically I want to slam my head against the wall...**_

 ** _Sorry for the rant..._**

 ** _Polkadottedgiraffe11_**


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